li.i-.ii'  ...; .ill-.-Li 


iiiiiiiiiiimii^ 


I     .  FROM  I 

I  SiiJLors  mm, 

I  iVo.  201  S:ml/i  Front  St., 

I  PHILADELPHIA. 

I  J-  H.  CASSIDY,  PKormETOR. 

W      '•  Set  tbine  house  in  order:  rorihoiishalt  die,and  not  live." 

^S^Bfskm^m^m^ — i^fgrf — -^^msassw?^ 


if 


UCSB   LIBRARY 


THE 


SEAMEN'S 


BOATMEI'S  MAITJAL 


ORIGINAL   AND   SELSCTE 


BY  J.   K.   DAV^IS, 

CHAPLAIN,     TROY,      N        V 


NEW  YORK: 

ROBERT  CARTER   &    BROTHERS, 

530  BROADWAY. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  m  the  year  1S47, 

BY    ROBERT    CARTEil 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United 

Statea  for  the  Southern  District  of  Xevr  York 


CONTENTS. 


Address  to  Sailors  and  Boatmen        ....  5 
Address  to  Sailors  and  Boatmen  on  Profane  Swearing  17 
Address  to  Youths  employed  as  Drirers  on  the  Ca- 
nals        .         .                 .                         .        .  29 
The  Impossibility  of  Escape     ....  38 

The  Coming  of  Christ 47 

The  Wages  of  Sin     .  59 

The  Soul S3 

The  Doctrines  and  Precepts  of  the  Bible  demand 
the  cordial  reception  of  all  to  -whom  they  are 

published 98 

The  Danger  of  making  light  of  Christ  and  Salvation  104 

Jonah  in  the  Ship      .                          ....  109 

Jesus  in  the  Ship        .         .                  ....  116 

A  Sailors  Experience 123 

The  Sailor's  Last  Letter 128 

A  Mother's  Blessing  before  I  die       .         .                 .  130 
The  Orphan  Sailor  Boy     ....                  .133 

Books  for  Sailors .134 

For  Ever .136 

The  Miseries  of  the  Ungodly  in  the  Day  of  Death  .  137 

The  Morning  and  Evening  of  Life  .                  .         .  141 

The  Dying  Hour 143 

For  in  such  an  hour  as  ye  think  not  the  Son  of  man 

cometh    ...                  ....  144 

An  Affecting  Anecdote               145 

The  Youth  that  was  not  Ready         .        .        .        .147 


IV  CONTENTS. 

PAOl 

A  Convenient  Season         .        .  .     147 

Address  to  Young  Men  .         .152 

Poor  William 157 

Wo  unto  him  that  Striveth  with  Ms  Maker     .         .161 
Serious  Gluestions  proposed  to  Neglect ers  of  Religion, 

and  the  Folly  and  Inexcusableness  of  Delay  .     166 


?HE 


SEAMEN'S  AND  BOATMEN'S  MANUAL. 


ADDRESS  TO  SAILORS  AND  BOAT^IEN. 

'■  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  ac- 
ceptation, that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to 
save  sinners."  Fellow-men  !  this  is  glad  tidings 
of  great  joy.  To  be  saved,  is  the  greatest  blessing 
that  can  be  bestowed  upon  us.  You  may  not  be 
sensible  of  this.  Many  are  asking  "  who  will  show 
us  any  good  ?"  Who  will  show  us  the  way  to  be 
rich,  or  great,  or  honorable,  among  men  '?  Who 
will  help  us  to  live  a  life  of  ease,  or  pleasure,  with- 
out the  least  fear  of  want  on  earth,  or  painful  an- 
ticipations of  woe  and  ruin  in  the  world  which  is 
to  come  ?  Suppose  I  had  the  power  to  bestow  upon 
each  of  you  all  these  things,  they  would  last  but  a 
little  while.  The  longest  life  will  soon  come  to  a 
close  ;  death  will  soon  dispossess  you  of  your  pos- 
session, of  your  pleasures,  of  your  friends,  in  a  ward 
of  all  your  enjoyments  ;  and  will  introduce  you  into 
a  world  where  none  of  these  things  will  follow  you. 
Merely  removing  from  this  world  to  the  eternal 
world,  will  not  of  itself  alter  the  state  of  your  hearts, 
or  the  inclinations  of  your  souls.  Do  you  desire 
worldly  gain,  or  ease,  or  pleasure  here  ?  You 
would  desire  these  things  far  more  hereafter.  Yet 
notwithstanding  these  strong  and  eternally  increas- 
1* 


O  ADDRESS    TO 

ing  desires,  you  could  never  enjoy  them, — for  they 
are  not  found  there. 

Suppose  I  should  try  to  persuade  you,  and  should 
succeed  in  persuading  you,  that  it  is  your  dutj'-  and 
privilege  to  live  a  merry  life — to  do  just  as  your 
wicked  hearts  incline  you  to  do  :  to  take  no  serious 
thought  about  what  will  be  your  condition  after 
death ;  to  take  no  care  about  pleasing  God  ;  to  please 
yourselves  ;  to  drink  to  excess  if  you  think  best ; 
or  to  take  God's  holy  name  in  vain ;  in  one  word, 
to  follow  the  tide  of  your  passions,  and  give  your 
carnal  desires  their  full  measure  of  gratification. 
Suppose  I  should  do  all  this  1  Would  1  be  acting 
the  part  of  a  friend,  when  I  knew  from  the  Bible 
that  although  it  might  give  you  a  momentary  peace, 
it  would  be  certain  destruction  in  the  end.  Would 
you  not  lament  your  folly,  and  pour  imprecations 
on  me,  for  lulling  you  into  a  fatal  security  which 
would  only  make  death  the  more  dreadful  when  it 
came,  and  eternity  the  more  insupportable  ? 

Seamen !  this  is  just  the  way  false  teachers  are 
doing, — this  is  the  way  the  Devil  and  his  angels 
are  doing ;  and  you  love  to  have  it  so.  I  do  not 
say  that  you  love  misery,  or  that  you  expect  to  be 
miserable  hereafter.  But  I  do  say  that  you  love  to 
take  that  course  through  life  that  is  most  pleasing 
to  you,  and  most  displeasing  to  God.  You  love  to 
have  others  encourage  you,  and  strengthen  you, 
and  confirm  you  in  these  wicked  practices,  and  un- 
scriptural  notions.  When  a  good  man,  a  mission- 
ary, comes  to  you  with  a  serious  Tract,  a  Bible,  or 
a  Testament,  and  talks  with  you  about  the  danger 
of  losing  3-our  souls  ;  when  he  tells  you  that  you 
are  a  wicked  man,  and  must  surely  die  if  3'OU  do 
not  "  break  off  your  sins  by  repentance,  and  your 
iniquities  by  turning  unto  the  Lord,"- -and  in  your 


SAILOKS    AND    BOATMEN.  1 

hearing  pray  that  God  for  Christ's  sake,  woulc/  par- 
don your  sins,  and  thus  prepare  you  for  death,  and 
judgment  and  eternity, — you  either  hsten  to  him 
without  feeling,  or  turn  away  your  ear  from  hear- 
ing instruction  ;  and  in  instances  not  a  few,  after 
his  departure,  laugh  to  scorn  the  messenger  of  the 
Lord. 

Boatmen,  is  not  this  too  true  ?  Have  you  not 
seen  it  ?  Have  you  hot  dane  it  ?  and  even  when 
you  have  listened  attentively  at  the  time,  and  have 
been  somewhat  impressed,  have  you  not  quickly 
dismissed  the  subject,  and  concluded  to  give  your- 
selves no  farther  trouble  about  another  world  ?   , 

Fellow-men,  be  not  deceived  ;  ''  God  is  not 
mocked."  The  Scriptures  say,  -  Whatsoever  a 
man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap."  If  you  live 
a  wicked  life,  and  die  as  you  have  lived,  your  souls 
will  be  eternally  lost.  You  may  not  believe  this  ; 
or,  if  you  believe  it,  you  may  be  so  unconcerned 
about  your  state  after  death,  that  it  makes  no  im- 
pression upon  you.  In  either  case  you  are  in  dan- 
ger of  being  lost.  That  you  may  not  be  lost ;  that 
you  may  be  Christians  here,  and  saved  sinners  here- 
after ;  listen  for  a  few  moments  to  one  who  feels 
the  deepest  solicitude  for  your  spiritual  and  eternal 
interests. 

Let  me  again  call  your  attention  to  the  Scrip- 
tu-e  with  which  I  commenced  this  address.  "This 
is  a  ta.rhful  saying  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation, 
that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sin- 
ners." The  person  here  spoken  of,  is  no  less  a  per- 
son than  the  Son  of  God.  If  it  was  said  to  you, 
that  the  President  of  these  United  States,  or  the 
Glueen  of  Great  Britain,  had  offered  to  be  crucified, 
in  order  to  save  rebels  from  death,  you  would  be  all 
attention.     It  would  be  the  subject  of  conversation 


6  AJJKKESS    TO 

all  the  day  long.  On  the  vessels,  and  boats,  and 
wherever  you  might  be,  you  would  be  talking 
about  this  matter  ;  and  it  would  be  very  proper 
that  you  should. 

Now  let  me  remind  you,  that  a  greater  than  ei 
ther  of  these  persons,  is  mentioned  in  this  Scrip- 
ture. Here  is  God  manifest  in  the  flesh.  A  being 
possessed  of  a  Divine  nature,  takes  upon  himself 
our  nature,  that  he  may  suffer  and  die  in  the  same 
nature  that  had  sinned.  He  came  from  heaven  to 
do  this  that  we  might  be  saved.  "  Herein  is  love  : 
not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  first  loved  us. 
Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay 
down  his  life  for  his  friend :  yet  God  manifested  his 
love  towards  us,  in  that  while  we  were  yet  sinners 
Christ  died  for  us." 

Seamen  !  never  forget  this  truth  :  that  we  are 
saved  through  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  through 
Him  alone.  Many  think,  that  with  a  little  Divme 
assistance,  they  can  save  themselves.  If  a  man 
who  has  been  in  the  habit  of  swearing,  breaks  off 
from  the  habit,  it  is  right  and  proper.  If  he  has 
been  in  the  habit  of  doing  unnecessary  work,  or  of 
misspending  the  holy  Sabbath  ;  or  if  he  has  been  a 
gambler,  a  liar,  a  thief,  or  a  drunkard,  and  wholly 
reforms  in  reference  to  all  these  vices,  he  is  so  far 
to  be  commended  ;  for  all  these  things  are  great 
transgressions  before  God  and  men.  But  I  must 
tell  you,  that  reformation  in  these  things  alone  will 
not  save  you  :  for  before  you  did  any  of  these  things 
you  were  sinners.  You  have  always  had  a  wicked 
heart :  a  carnal  mind,  "  which  is  enmity  against 
God."  Your  sinful  natures  must  be  changed,  by 
the  Holy  Spirit, — you  must  be  made  new  creatures 
in  Christ  Jesus,  or  you  cannot  be  saved.  Many 
mistake  here  and  therefore  fail  of  heaven.     Poor 


SAILORS    AND    BOATMEN.  9 

Stupid  sinners  do  not  believe  that  they  are  as  bad 
at  heart,  as  the  Bible  declares  them  to  be.  They 
do  not  believe  that  while  out  of  Christ  they  are 
every  moment  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God,  and 
the  pains  of  hell  forever  :  and  that  dying  as  they 
now  are,  they  will  hear  the  Judge  say  to  them  from 
the  "  great  white  throne,"  "  Depart  from  me  ye 
cursed,  into  everlasting  fire  prepared  for  the  Devil 
and  his  angels."  Therefore  they  are  not  concerned 
about  themselves,  and  make  no  eflTort  to  escape 
"  from  the  wrath  to  come."  Not  believing  them- 
selves lost  sinners,  they  see  no  necessity  for  the  Sa- 
viour's blood  to  cleanse  them  from  sin,  and  prepare 
them  for  heaven. 

Notwithstanding  all  thil unbelief,  fellow-men,  "  it 
is  still  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  accepta- 
tion, that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners,  of  whom"  the  Apostle  adds,  "  I  am  chief" 
This  Apostle  was  never  a  liar,  a  gambler,  or  a 
swearer  ;  and  yet  he  said  he  was  the  chief  of  sin- 
ners. He  had  not  always  thought  so.  There  was 
a  time  when  he  thought  himself  belter  than  other 
men.  There  was  a  time  when  he  was  ignorant  of 
his  true  character ;  when  he  had  no  correct  know- 
ledge of  the  law  of  God, — or  of  salvation  by  the 
blood  of  Christ.  After  the  Holy  Spirit  enlightened 
his  mind,  then  he  saw  what  he  was,  and  where  he 
was  going.  He  saw  that  he  was  a  lost  sinner,  and 
that  he  had  always  been,  notwithstanding  his  reli- 
gious zeal,  and  fasting  and  prayers.  He  saw  also, 
that  he  was  in  the  broad  road  to  death,  and  that 
while  he  thought  himself  on  the  way  to  heaven,  he 
was  on  the  road  to  hell.  It  was  this  discovery  that 
made  him  consider  it  "a  faithful  saying,  and  wor 
thy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into 
the  world  to  save  sinners." 


10  ADDRESS    TO 

My  friends,  you  must  have  the  same  views  of 
your  sinful  state,  your  condemned  and  lost  condi- 
tion, before  you  will  prize  Christ  as  a  Saviour. 
You  must  see  that  '.here  is  but  a  step  between  you 
and  the  "  lake  which  burneth  with  fire  and  brim- 
stone," before  you  will  break  off  your  ••  sins  by  re- 
pentance ;"  "  and  your  iniquities  by  turning-  unto 
the  Lord." 

No  man  will  take  any  serious  thought  for  his 
soul,  unless  he  finds  himself  in  a  sinful,  perishing 
condition  ;  and  then  if  he  has  a  clear  discovery  of 
Christ  Jesus  as  a  Saviour,  how  precious  will  he  be 
to  his  soul.  How  precious  he  must  have  been  to 
the  apostles  Paul,  Peter,  and  John.  To  the  daugh- 
ters of  Jerusalem,  that  bewailed  and  lamented  him. 
as  he  was  bearing  the  thorns  and  the  cross  to  the 
place  of  his  last  mortal  agony.  How  precious  to 
the  thousands  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  who  disco- 
vered for  the  first  time  that  they  were  lost  sinners, 
and  that  the  "  Prince  of  Life,"  whom  they  had  cru- 
cified, was  the  only  "  Name  under  heaven,  given 
among  men,  whereby  they  must  be  saved." 

You  perceive,  Boatmen,  that  I  address  those  of 
you  "  who  are  without  God,  having  no  hope  in  the 
world."  1  do  not  suppose  you  are  worse  than  other 
men.  I  come  to  you,  not  to  denounce  you  for  your 
impenitence,  unbelief,  and  hardness  of  heart ;  but  as 
a  sympathizing  friend.  One  who  feels  himself  to 
be  the  "  chief  of  sinners ;"  although  never  guilty 
of  intemperance,  or  profanity,  or  any  of  the  open 
violations  of  human  or  divine  laws.  Yet  possess- 
ing a  depraved  nature,  and  havmg  sinned  against 
the  strivings  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  warnmgs  of 
God's  providences,  and  of  his  written  word,  I  feel 
chat  I  am  of  sinners  the  chief  But  notwilhstand* 
mg  this,  I  hope  and  believe  that  I  have  obtained 


SAILORS    AND    BOATMEN.  H 

mercy.  O !  could  I  describe  to  you  the  anguish  of 
my  soul  when  deeply  convicted  of  my  sins  ;  when 
I  saw  that  my  whole  nature  was  totally  depraved, 
and  that  I  must  be  "  born  again,"  or  bid  farewell  to 
God  and  Christ  and  Heaven  forever.  Could  I 
show  you  the  deep  distress  of  my  spirit,  on  a  clear 
discovery  of  the  strictness,  purity,  and  extent  of  the 
law  of  God,  and  the  impossibility  of  being  justified 
or  saved,  by  any  thing  I  ever  had  done,  or  could  do  ; 
or  that  any  merely  created  being  could  do  for  me: 
could  I  then  clearly  place  before  you,  the  way  and 
manner  of  my  deliverance  from  this  state  of  wrath 
and  condemnation  :  could  you  see  as  the  Spirit  of 
God  enabled  me  to  see,  the  glory  of  God  as  it  shone 
in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  when  he  bowed  my 
stubborn  will,  and  filled  my  soul  with  love,  joy, 
and  peace  in  believing;  you  would  then  no  longer 
wonder,  that  to  me  it  was  a  "  faithful  saying,  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners." 

And  now,  Seamen,  having  had  this  clear  disco- 
very of  the  sinfulness  of  my  nature,  and  the  salva- 
tion of  the  Lord,  through  grace  in  Christ  Jesus, — 
am  I  not  entitled  to  your  confidence,  as  I  attempt  to 
convince  you  of  your  lost  and  sinful  condition,  and 
the  only  possible  way  to  be  saved  ?  As  I  once  saw 
myself  at  ease,  and  in  impenitence,  floating  on  the 
current  of  time,  to  the  ocean  of  eternity, — so  now  I 
see  you,  on  the  same  perilous  voyage,  wending  your 
way  onward  to  the  dismal  regions  of  '•  death  and 
hell !"  You  do  not  realize  your  condition  :  you 
feel  yourselves  secure ;  you  think,  if  you  think  at 
all,  that  you  are  excusable  for  neglecting  the  great 
salvation  ;  you  say  "  that  a  vessel  or  a  boat  is  no  fit 
place  for  a  man  to  obtain  religion."  Then  why 
not  enter  upon  some  other  employment?     If  you 


12  ADDRESS    TO 

are  honest  in  what  you  say,  will  you  peril  youl 
soul  for  the  profits  you  derive  from  this  occupation? 
What  !  sell  3'our  soul  for  gain,  worldly  gain  ? 
"  What  shall  it  profit  a  man,"  said  the  Saviour,  "  if 
he  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul,  or 
what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?" 

But  I  cannot  grant  you  all  you  ask  on  this  point. 
Although  a  Sailor's  or  a  Boatman's  life  is  unfavora- 
ble to  the  cultivation  of  piety,  stiii  it  is  not  impos- 
sible to  repent,  and  believe,  and  live  a  praying  and 
holy  life  in  such  circumstances.  Some  of  the  most 
godly  men  who  have  ever  lived,  have  been  Sailors 
and  Boatmen.  Wherever  God  in  his  providence 
calls  men  to  labor,  or  reside,  there  he  calls  upon 
them  as  their  first  and  most  important  duty,  to  at- 
tend to  the  concerns  of  their  souls,  and  prepare  to 
meet  Him,  in  death,  judgment,  and  eternity.  1 
have  often  been  grieved  to  hear  men  of  your  pro- 
fession say,  "  We  can't  obtain  religion  here."  Not 
unfrequently.  when  warning  them  in  the  most  sol- 
emn manner  of  the  danger  of  neglecting  the  great 
salvation;  of  the  uncertainty  of  life,  and  of  a  sud- 
den death  to  which  their  employment  exposed  them, 
have  I  heard  them  render  this  excuse,  "  We  can't 
be  religious  in  this  place." 

And  yet  you  can  and  you  must  die.  "  There  is 
no  discharge  in  thai  war."  Your  life  is  short  and 
hasty  at  the  best,  for  watermen  do  not  on  an  ave- 
rage live  to  exceed  fifteen  years.  Your  lives  there- 
fore are  shorter  than  the  lives  of  other  classes  of 
men.  How  many  of  your  craft  have  been  sud- 
denly, and  unexpectedly  called  to  meet  the  retribu- 
tions of  eternity  !  How  many  have  died,  far  away 
from  kindred  and  home,  with  no  one  to  tell  them 
of  Christ  and  his  salvation  !  How  many  have  suf 
fered  shipwreck!     How  many  others,  and  some  of 


SAILORS    AND    BOATMEN.  13 

your  ownacquaintancts,  have  been  drowned  on  oui 
rivers  and  canals?  These  have  gone  to  an  un 
known  world  : 

— "  In  heaven  or  hell 
Their  disembodied  spirits  dwell." 

Fellow-men  !  you  must  soon  follow  them.  Pre- 
pared  or  unprepared,  you  must  die.  And  can  you 
under  these  circumstances,  compose  yourselves  to 
rest,  and  quiet  your  consciences  with  the  excuse 
that  watermen  are  not  expected  to  be  religious'?  It 
must  not,  it  cannot  be.  You  must  awake  from  this, 
stupidity, — this  carnal  security,  and  call  upon  the 
Lord  your  God  for  mercy.  A  deep  and  solemn 
impression  should  rest  upon  your  minds,  that  you 
must  be  saved :  for  if  you  are  not  saved,  and  saved 
quickl}'-,  through  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  you  will 
be  eternally  lost.  You  are  now  prisoners  of  hope  ; 
but  if  lost,  you  will  be  prisoners  of  despair,  and 
that  not  for  a  hundred,  or  a  few  thousand  years,  but 
for  ever  and  ever. 

When  you  read  this,  think,  what  would  those 
give,  who  have  died  in  their  sins,  if  their  souls 
could  be  placed  in  your  soul's  stead :  and  do  as  you 
think  they  would  do,  if  they  were  permitted  to  re- 
turn again  to  this  world,  and  have  another  opportu- 
nity of  repentance  ;  another  offer  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

This  however  can  never  be.  Their  day  of  grace 
is  past ;  the  Saviour  will  offer  himself  to  them  nO' 
more.  Sabbaths,  and  churches,  and  bibles,  and 
praying  mothers,  and  missionaries,  they  will  see 
und  enjoy  no  more  forever. 

"  In  that  lone  land  of  deep  despair, 
No  Sabbath's  heavoul}'  light  shall  rise, 
No  God  regard  their  bitter  prayer, 
Nor  Saviour  call  them  to  the  skieSi" 
2 


14  ADDRESS   TO 

They  are  lost !  forever  lost !  And  my  dear  dying 
fellow-men,  if  you  will  not  take  warning,  and  flee 
from  "  the  wrath  to  come,"  you  will  soon  be  with 
them.  You  too  will  be  lost !  forever  lost !  Do  not 
become  mockers,  "  lest  your  bonds  be  made  strong." 
Do  not  say  this  is  all  priestcraft.  It  is  not  priest- 
craft. It  is  the  effort  of  one  who  would  save  you 
from  eternal  death.  O  yes,  poor  sinners,  I  believe 
and  know,  that  there  is  wrath  to  come !  I  believe 
and  know  assuredly  that  the  tide  of  God's  wrath 
on  the  damned  is  an  eternsl  Jiood !  there  will  never 
be  an  ebbing,  and  believing  thus  can  I  hold  my 
peace,  and  permit  you  quietly  to  sail  along  the  cur- 
rent of  time,  into  the  gulf  of  endless  wo  ?  I  see 
your  da.nger ;  my  soul  is  all  alive  to  your  destiny  ; 
I  behold  you  insensible  to  your  condition,  and 
would  fain  awake  you,  to  see  the  appalling  dan- 
gers and  fearful  terrors  which  await.  I  would  cast 
myself  between  you  and  that  world  of  wo,  into 
which  you  are  about  to  plunge,  and  from  whence 
there  is  no  redemption.  Will  you  not  believe  that 
I  am  a  friend  to  your  immortal  interests  ?  This  is 
not  fancy.  It  is  plain,  sober,  solemn,  and  eternal 
truth.  And  the  fear  that  some  who  hear,  or  read 
these  lines,  will  dismiss  the  subject,  and  scorn  the 
message  of  salvation,  and  die,  and  go  down  to  that 
^'  place  of  torment,"  gives  me  heaviness  and  sorrow 
of  heart. 

When  I  think  of  the  value  of  the  soul ;  the  price 
paid  for  its  redemption  ;  the  short  period  to  which 
its  redemption  is  limited, — even  the  natural  life 
of  man ;  the  ignorance,  stupidity  and  madness  of 
almost  all  to  whom  the  '-word  of  this  salvation 
is  sent,"  I  weep  and  my  soul  is  cast  down  "  within 
rae." 

Fellow-men !  you  may  consider  this  weakness 


SAILORS    AND    BOATMEN.  15 

and  effeminacy.  But  is  there  not  a  cause?  Could 
you  stand  with  me,  and  with  the  eye  of  faith  view 
that  heavenly  world,  where  all  is  peace,  and  quiet- 
ness, and  assurance  forever.  Could  you  behold 
that  "great  muhitude  which  no  man  can  number, 
who  are  before  the  throne  of  God,  and  serve  him 
day  and  night  in  his  temple ;  who  are  to  hunger  no 
more,  nor  thirst  any  more;  for  the  Lamb  which  is 
in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall 
lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters;  and  God 
shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes."  And 
then  could  you  know  as  the  Bible  assures  us, 
that  if  you  die  in  your  present  condition,  with  the 
guilt  of  unrepented,  and  unforgiven  sin  resting 
upon  your  consciences,  you  can  never  be  of  their 
number, — you  would  not  think  it  strange,  that  I 
should  intreat  and  beseech  you  to  be  reconciled 
to  God. 

'•  Stop,  poor  sinner,  stop  and  think, 
•     Before  you  farther  go  ; 
Will  you  sport  upon  the  brink 
Of  everlasting  woe  !" 

Did  not  the  Son  of  God  weep  over  sinners  ?  Dy- 
ing men,  listen  to  his  language,  and  let  his  sighs 
and  tears,  at  last  melt  your  hard  and  flinty  hearts. 
Luke,  xix.  41, — "And  when  he  came  near,  he  be- 
held the  city  and  wept  over  it,  saying,  if  thou  hadst 
kn>^wn,  even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the 
things  which  belong  to  thy  peace  !  but  now  they 
are  hid  from  thy  eyes." 

If  presumptuous,  impenitent  sinners  could  but 
see,  and  feel,  that  '•  their  feet  shall  slide  in  due  time; 
and  that  the  day  of  their  calamity  is  at  hand,"  they 
too  would  weep.  Could  they  drink  with  the 
drunken,  and  profane  the  name  and  the  day  of  the 


16  ADDRESS    TO 

Lord,  and  live  a  merry  life,  if  they  were  at  all  im- 
pressed with  their  sinful  and  condemned  state, — 
and  realized  that  they  were  each  moment  liable  to 
the  full  execution  of  that  awful  sentence  recorded 
in  the  book  of  God.  "  bind  him  hand  and  foot,  and 
cast  him  into  outer  darkness,  where  shall  be  weep- 
ing and  gnashing-  of  teeth  ?" 

God  assures  the  wicked  that  he  delights  not  in 
their  death  ;  but  rather  that  they  turn  to  him  and 
live.  "  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  for  why  will  ye  die  ?" 
God  asks  this  question.  The  people  of  God  also 
ask  it.  And  if  we  could  listen  to  the  spirits  of  the 
pious  dead,  they,  too,  would  be  heard  to  say.  Sea- 
men, Boatmen,  "  Why  will  ye  die  ?" 

Fellow  travellers  to  eternity,  what  more  can  be 
said  to  induce  you  to  "prepare  to  meet  your  God." 
You  have  been  told  of  a  Saviour,  and  of  his  wij- 
hngness  and  ability  to  save.  Of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  of  his  power  to  convict  and  convert  the  soul. 
You  have  also  been  told  of  the  joy  of  heaven,  and 
of  the  wo  of  hell.  You  have  been  entreated  once 
and  again  to  make  your  peace  with  God.  I  am 
now  about  to  leave  you,  and  to  leave  the  subject  ; 
not  however,  without  a  most  deep  and  painful  solici- 
tude for  the  result  of  my  message.  The  eternal 
destiny  of  your  souls,  may  depend  upon  the  deci- 
sions of  this  hour.  Eternal  j'oy,  or  eternal  sorrow 
are  before  you.  Will  you  hesitate,  will  you  lin- 
ger, will  you  delay  ? 

"  When  not  a  moment 's  in  your  power, 
And  death  stands  ready  at  the  door ! ' 
Eternity  !  how  near  it  rolls, 
Count  the  vast  value  of  your  souls  ; 
Beware  ;  and  count  the  awful  cost. 
What  they  have  gained  whose  souls  are  lost." 

And  now,  fellow-men,  I  bid  you  an  afTectionate 


SAILORS    AND    BOATMEN.  17 

farewell.  The  truths  contained  in  these  pages, 
will  meet  you  again  at  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ. 
May  the  Holy  Spirit  even  now,  make  a  saving  ap- 
phcation  of  them  to  your  precious  and  immortal 
souls.     Amen. 


ADDRESS  TO  SAILORS  AND  BOADIEN 

ox  PROFANE   SWEARIXG. 

Sailors  and  Boatmen  !  From  my  frequent  in 
terviews  with  men  of  your  occupation,  I  am  con 
strained  to  say,  that  swearing  is  a  very  common  sin 
among  you.  Many  of  you  have  been  so  long  ad- 
dicted to  this  habit,  that  you  are  not  aware  of  the 
frequency  and  awful  nature  of  your  oaths.  This 
however  can  be  no  justification  either  before  God 
or  man.  The  Lord  will  not  hold  him  -  guiltless 
that  taketh  his  name  in  vain."  whether  the  individ- 
ual is  conscious  of  doing  it  or  not.  at  the  time.  God 
is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity.  He  can- 
not look  upon  sin,  or  upon  sinners  with  the  least 
allowance ;  and  if  a  person  has  so  long  been  in  the 
habit  of  profaning  His  name,  as  not  to  regard  it, 
must  not  this,  instead  of  decreasing,  only  add  to  his 
guilt  in  view  of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  ? 

Let  us  look  at  this  subject,  fellow-men,  in  the 
light  of  the  Bible,  and  of  that  eternity  into  which 
we  are  hastening.  I  come  to  reason  with  you  this 
day  on  the  folly  and  wickedness  of  this  sin.  You 
must  not  expect  me  to  preach  to  you  smooth  things  ; 
to  cry  peace  and  safety,  when  "sudden  destruction" 
is  before  }'ou.  /  know,  and  yov,  know;  we  all 
2* 


18  ON    PROFANE    SWEARING. 

know  that  the  "  swearer  has  no  part  m  the  kingdom 
of  heaven."  Listen  to  me  attentively,  I  beseech 
you,  while  I  remark — 

First.     That  the  swearer  is  in  a  lost  state. 

B}-  this  is  meant  that  he  is  in  a  state  of  condem 
nation  ;  under  the  wrath  of  God,  exposed  to  His 
eurse  and  displeasure  here  ;  and  the  miseries  of  an 
undone  eternity  hereafter.  It  is  true  his  case  is  not 
as  bad  and  as  hopeless  now,  as  it  will  be  at  the 
day  of  judgment;  for  then  the  sentence  pronounced 
will  be  irrevocable.  The  door  of  mercy  will  be 
closed.  The  day  of  grace  will  be  passed  ;  for  the 
end  has  come.  Now,  in  this  world,  God  is  wait- 
ing to  be  gracious.  Now,  he  invites  the  profane, 
to  accept  of  offered  mercy.  He  commands,  en- 
treats, and  expostulates,  saying,  "O  wicked  man, 
why  will  ye  die  ?"  All  this  is  done  here,  not  be- 
cause the  sinner  is  not  in  a  lost  state,  but  because 
he  is  under  a  dispensation  of  grace  and  mercy.  He 
is  condemned  already,  and  the  "  wrath  of  God  abi- 
deth  upon  him,"  but  a  space  is  given  him  for  re- 
pentance, and  hence  it  is  possible  for  him  to  be 
saved.  This  then  is  the  condition  of  the  blasphe- 
mer ;  under  sentence  of  death,  and  yet  that  sen- 
tence not  fully  executed. 

Secondly.  The  swearer  is  forgetful  of  God,  and 
the  interests  of  his  immortal  soul. 

This  is  most  evident  from  the  fact,  that  he  car: 
take  His  holy  and  dreadful  Name  in  vain,  without 
a  feeling,  or  a  fear,  of  His  displeasure.  Sinners 
may  blaspheme  God  because  of  "  their  plagues," 
as  they  do  in  the  world  of  wo ;  but  to  blaspheme 
His  holy  name  on  earth,  whilst  in  the  enjoyment 
of  the  blessings  of  His  providence,  and  the  offers  of 
His  mercy  through  his  Son.  argues  fearful  stupidify 


ON    PROFANE    SWEiJRING. 


19 


and  forgetfulness  of  his  holiness,  justice,  goodness 
and  truth. 

Suppose  you  were  a  subject  of  the  King  of 
France,  and  he  had  it  in  his  power  to  inflict  upon 
you  the  greatest  evils  a  man  can  experience  in  this 
world,  would  you  insult  him  to  his  face  1  Would 
you  blaspheme  and  deride  him  every  time  he  came 
within  your  hearing?  Would  you  not  rather  walk 
circumspectly  before  him,  even  making  use  of  the 
most  respectful  language  ?  If  you  would  do  this 
in  the  presence  of  an  earthly  king,  why  not  much 
rather  m  the  presence  of  the  King  of  Kmgs,  and 
the  Lord  of  I-ords,  before  whom  "  angels  bow  and 
archangels  veil  their  faces." 

The  truth  is,  O  wicked  man,  you  forget  that  the 
eye  of  God  is  continually  upon  you.  This  infinite 
Being  is  in  heaven,  earth,  and  hell.  It  is  written 
in  the  cxxxix.  Psalm,  "  O  Lord,  thou  hast  searched 
me,  and  know  me.  Thou  knowest  my  downsit- 
ting  and  mine  uprising  ;  thou  understandest  my 
thought  afar  off  Thou  compassest  my  path  and 
my  lying  down,  and  art  acquainted  with  all  my 
ways.  For  there  is  not  a  word  in  my  tongue,  but 
lo,  O  Lord,  thou  knowest  it  altogether 

"Thou  hast  beset  me  behind,  and  before,  and  laid 
thine  hand  upon  me.  Such  knowledge  is  too  won- 
derful for  me  ;  it  is  high  1  cannot  attain  unto  it. 

"  Whither  shall  I  go  from  thy  spirit  ?  or  whiiher 
shall  I  flee  from  thy  presence  ? 

"If  I  ascend  up  into  heaven,  thou  art  there  ;  if  1 
make  my  bed  in  hell,  behold  thou  art  there.  If  1 
take  the  wings  of  the  morning,  and  dwell  in  the  ut- 
termost parts  of  the  sea  ;  even  there  thy  hand  shall 
lead  me,  and  thy  right  hand  shall  hold  me. 

"  If  I  say,  surely  the  darkness  shall  cover  me ; 
even  the  night  shall  be  1  ght  about  me.     Yea,  the 


20  ON    IROFANE    SWEARING. 

darkness  hideth  not  from  thee  ;  but  the  night  shi« 
neth  as  the  day  ;  the  darkness  and  the  light  are  both 
alike  to  thee." 

This  is  very  solemn  and  affecting.  Let  the  iro- 
fane  man  commit  this  scripture  to  memory,  and  fre- 
quently repeat  it  to  himself,  and  I  am  almost  certain 
he  will  cease  to  take  God's  holy  name  in  vain.  How 
could  he  utter  his  blasphemies  in  the  very  presence 
of  this  dreadful  Lord  God  ?  It  must  be  he  does 
not  realize  his  presence.  He  thinks  of  Him,  if  he 
thinks  of  Him  at  all,  as  a  God  afar  off,  and  not  as 
a  God  above  him,  below  him,  around  him,  within 
him.  This  accounts  for  his  impenitent,  careless 
life  ;  his  blasphemous  language  :  his  contempt  of 
everything  serious  and  sacred.  Let  me  introduce 
here,  for  the  serious  consideration  of  those  whose 
"  mouth  is  full  of  cursing  and  bitterness,"  Watts's 
paraphrase  of  this  Psalm  : 


"  Lord;  thou  liast  searched  and  seen  me  through : 
Thine  eye  commands,  with  piercing  view, 
My  rising  and  my  resting  hours, 
My  heart  and  flesh  with  all  their  powers. 

"  Within  thy  circling  power  I  stand ; 
On  every  side  I  find  thy  hand ; 
Awake,  asleep,  at  home,  abroad, 
I  am  surrounded  still  with  God 

"  If  up  to  heaven  I  take  my  flight. 
'Tis  there  thou  dweU'st  enthroned  in  light ; 
Or  dive  to  hell,  there  vengeance  reigns, 
A  Satan  groans  beneath  thy  chains. 

"  If.  mounted  on  a  morning  ray, 
I  fly  beyond  the  western  sea  ; 
Thy  swifter  hand  would  first  arrive, 
And  there  arrest  thy  fugitive, 

•^  The  veil  of  night  is  no  disguise  ; 
No  screen  from  thy  all-searching  eyes ; 


ON    PROFANE    SWEARING.  21 

Thy  hand  cau  seize  tliy  foes  as  soon, 
Through  midnight  shades,  as  blazing  noon 

"  Midnight  and  noon  in  this  agree, — 
Great  God,  the3""re  both  alike  to  thee; 
Not  death  cau  hide  what  God  will  spy; 
And  hell  lies  naked  to  his  e^'e. 

"  0  may  these  thoughts  possess  my  breast. 
Where'er  I  rove  where'er  I  rest; 
Nor  let  my  weaker  passions  dare 
Consent  to  sin  :  for  God  is  there." 

It  is  not  surprising,  that  those  who  forget  God, 
should  be  wholly  unmindful  of  the  interest  of  their 
immortal  souls.  If  God  is  forgotten,  the  soul  will 
be  neglected  and  undone.  If  God  is  not  feared, 
His  threatenings  will  not  be  regarded.  Alas  ! 
how  sad  and  awful  the  consequences  of  this  state 
of  mind.  Death  and  eternity  are  approaching  ; 
Hell  is  moved  at  his  coming,  while  the  blasphe- 
mer heeds  it  not.  Day  after  day ;  and  hour  after 
hour,  he  "  treasures  up  wrath,  against  the  day  of 
wrath,"  and  yet  he  neither  knows,  nor  cares,  what 
will  be  the  consequences  of  his  present  course. 

Thirdly.  The  swearer  possesses  a  carnal  mind, 
which  is  enmity  against  God. 

All  holy  beings  reverence  the  name  of  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel.  Isaiah,  in  vision,  "saw  the  Lord 
sitting  upon  a  throne  high  and  lifted  up,  and  his 
train  filled  the  temple.  And  the  seraphims  cried 
one  unto  another,  and  said,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the 
Lord  of  Hosts." 

And  the  Apostle  John,  also,  when  rapt  in  vision 
heard  the  worshippers  of  Jehovah  make  use  of 
similar  language  :  '•  And  they  rest  not  day  and 
night,  saying.  Holy,  holy,  holy.  Lord  God  Al- 
mighty, which  was,  and  is,  and  is  to  come."  Here 
we  have  the  language  of  the  most  pure  and  exalted 


22  ON    PROFANE    SWEARING. 

of  created  beings.  How  unhke  the  irreverence  of 
the  blasphemer,  either  in  this  world,  or  in  the 
world  of  wo. 

Have  you  not  seen  the  father's  mouth  "  full  of 
cursing  and  bitterness,"  and  the  son  also  not  yet  ten 
years  old,  using  the  same  language,  calling  dow^n 
the  curse  of  the  Lord  upon  himself  and  his  fel- 
lows? What  stronger  proof  can  we  have  of  the 
enmity  of  the  carnal  nj.ind  against  God  ?  Say  not, 
this  is  often  done  w^ithout  reflection.  If  the  heart 
were  right,  the  language  would  always  be  respect- 
ful. If  you  felt  a  strong  attachment  to  a  friend, 
would  you  ever  indulge  in  contemptuous  language 
in  his  pre.sence  ?  Now  if  you  had  any  love  in  your 
heart  to  the  Christian's  God,  could  you  ever  take 
His  name  m  vain  ?  No,  wicked  man  ;  there  can- 
not be  a  stronger  proof  of  the  entire  alienation  of 
your  heart  from  the  Lord  your  God,  than  that  of 
profaning  His  name. 

Carry  this  thought  with  you  wherever  you  go : 
I  hate  God,  my  creator,  preserver,  and  benefactor  ; 
I  hate  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  my  Redeemer  ;  I  hate 
the  Holy  Ghost,  the  comforter  and  sanctifier  of  all 
the  saved.  This  must  be  the  true  state  of  my  heart, 
or  I  should  never  blaspheme  that  Holy  Name, 
whom  angels,  and  the  "  spirits  of  the  just  made  per 
feet"  continually  adore. 

Fourthly.  The  swearer  bears  a  strong  resem- 
blance to  the  devil  and  his  angels,  and  all  lost 
souls. 

This  is  evident  from  the  similarity  of  their  na- 
tures, and  of  their  language.  Are  the  lost  in  that 
world  of  wo,  totally  depraved  ?  So  is  the  swearer 
in  this  world  of  mercy  and  of  privilege.  Do  they 
in  that  world  of  utter  despair  blaspheme  "  God  be- 
cause of  their  plagues  ?"      The   swearer  in  this 


ON    PROFANE    S-^VEARING.  23 

world  does  more :  while  every  blessing  is  bestowea 
upon  him  from  heaven,  he  contemns  God,  and  pol- 
lutes the  atmosphere  with  his  profane  language. 

''  Be  astonished  O  heavens ;  and  be  thou  horribly 
afraid  O  earth  at  this."  How  dreadful  is  this  con- 
clusion, and  yet  how  just.  To  behold  men  on 
earth  assimilated  in  their  moral  character  to  fallen 
angels  and  lost  souls  of  our  race,  is  a  sight  over 
which  the  Christian  may  and  should  weep.  Yea 
more,  it  is  a  spectacle  over  which  the  Son  of  God 
did  weep,  ''  saying,  if  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou, 
at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which  belong 
unto  thy  peace  !"  And  such  a  spectacle  does  the 
swearer  now  present  to  God  and  all  holy  beings. 

Fifthly.  The  swearer  is  wholly  disqualified  for 
heaven. 

If,  as  the  Bible  affirms,  "  nothing  unclean  can 
enter  into  that  holy  place."  then  the  class  whom  1 
am  addressincr  can  never,  without  repentance  and 
reformation,  be  permitted  to  enter  there.  We  have 
seen  that  such  are  in  a  lost  state :  that  they  are  for- 
getful of  God,  and  of  the  interests  of  their  immor- 
tal souls  ;  that  they  possess  a  carnal  mind,  which  is 
enmity  against  God  :  and  that  they  bear  a  strong 
moral  resemblance  to  the  finally  impenitent  in  the 
world  of  wo.  They  must  therefore  be  disqualified 
for  that  most  holy  place, 

"  The  third  heaven,  where  God  resides.'' 

It  is  written,  '•  without  holiness  no  man  shall  see 
the  Lord."  This  decision  is  irreversable.  Either 
God  or  the  swearer  must  change.  ••  The  Al- 
mighty," we  know,  '•  is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day, 
and  forever."  The  creatures  who  are  to  dwell  with 
him  eternally,  are  to  bear  a  moral  resemblance  to 
himself.     Jesus  saves  his  people  from^  and  not  in 


24  ON    PROFANE    SWEARING. 

.heir  siivs.  No  truth  is  more  clearly  taught  in  the 
Bible  than  this,  that  every  man's  heart  is  depraved 
and  must  be  renewed  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  he  can 
never  go  where  Christ  has  gone.  1  know  that 
many  of  the  profane  disbelieve  this.  While  they 
have  not  the  least  evidence  that  they  are  qualified 
for  heaven ;  or  that  they  could  be  happy  if  ad- 
mitted into  that  holy  place ;  still  they  say  and  be- 
lieve that  God  will  not  cast  them  off  at  last.  They 
have  not  the  least  idea,  that  they  shall  be  rejected  at 
the  judgment  of  the  great  day.  Notwithstanding 
all  their  blasphemy  and  contempt  of  God,  they 
confidently  expect  that  His  injured  and  insulted 
Majesty  will  say  to  them  at  that  day,  "  Come  ye 
blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared 
for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world."  They 
do  not  expect  to  be  profane  when  they  die,  and 
therefore  indulge  the  vain  hope  that  such  a  change 
will  take  place  then,  if  not  before,  as  will  qualify 
them  for  heaven.  Thus  the  profane  live,  and  thus 
they  die ;  and  stand  before  God  to  receive  their  un- 
alterable allotment.     Which  leads  me  to  remark. 

Sixthly.  That  the  swearer  is  not  only  in  a  lost 
state  while  he  lives,  but  that  if  he  dies  without  a 
moral  renovation,  he  must  dwell  with  the  devil  and 
his  angels  forever. 

How  can  it  be  otherwise?  He  is  fit  for  no  other 
place.  He  has  even  now  the  mark  of  the  beast 
(blasphemy)  upon  him.  The  mere  fact  of  his  re- 
moval from  this  world  to  the  eternal  world,  would 
not  of  itself  change  his  carnal  mind,  or  prepare 
him  to  love  and  serve  God.  There  is  but  one  prison 
in  eternity,  and  in  that  OTie  all  are  to  be  confined 
who  would  not  have  "  Christ  to  reign  over  them." 
The  sons  and  the  daughters  of  Adam  will  be  ar 
ranged  at  death,  and  especially  at  the  judgment,  ac. 


ON    PROFANE    SWEARING.  25 

cording  to  the  character  they  possessed  in  this  world. 
There  is  no  change  of  state  or  character  in  the 
world  to  come.  The  Scriptures  are  positive  on  this 
point,  which  settles  the  question  forever. 

Think  not,  O  profane  man,  that  you  shall  escape 
the  dread  punishment  of  your  sins.  You  will  not 
avoid  reaping  the  "  wages  of  sin,  which  is  death  ;" 
and  death  too,  in  its  most  awful  and  extensive  sig- 
nification. And  why  should  you  complain  of  your 
lot?  You  are  going  to  the  place  for  which  you 
are  prepared.  You  are  without  holiness,  as  must 
be  evident  to  yourself  and  others.  Would  you 
interrupt  the  songs  of  the  redeemed  with  your  un- 
hallowed breath  ?  Would  you  pollute  heaven  with 
your  dreadful  oaths?  But  you  have  not  your  choice 
in  this  matter.  All  who  bear  a  moral  resemblance 
to  Satan  and  his  angels ;  all  who  possess  their  en- 
mity of  heart  against  God  ;  all  who  use  their  lan- 
guage, are  possessed  of  a  kindred  spirit,  and  must 
dwell  where  they  dwell,  and  suffer  with  them,  "the 
vengeance  of  eternal  fire."  I  write  thus  plainly, 
fellow-men,  that  you  may  take  warning,  and  flee 
in  time  from  the  coming  wrath.  I  do  solemnly  as- 
sure you,  from  the  word  of  the  Lord,  that  the  pun- 
ishment of  a  future  world  is  to  have  no  end,  "  I 
do  most  fully  admit  that  it  is  indeed  a  fearful  thing 
to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God.  But  what 
if  I  or  you  should  doubt  or  deny  it?  Can  that 
have  any  influence  on  the  eternal  judge,  who  will 
pronounce  my  final  sentence  ?  None.  Can  your 
denial  of  what  he  has  said,  or  your  efforts  to  ex- 
plain away  the  meaning  of  his  declarations  relative 
to  things  of  a  future  world  ;  can  all  this  avail  you^ 
when  you  stand  an  unembodied,  trembling,  help- 
less spirit  before  his  searching  eye,  and  the  tribu- 
nal of  his  Almighty  power?" 
3 


26  ON    PROFANE    SWEi  RING. 

O  profane  man.  how  dark  are  your  prospects  for 
another  world.  And  yet  there  is  no  relief  If  you 
do  not  break  off  your  sins  "  by  repentance,  and 
your  iniquities  by  turning  unto  the  Lord  :"'  there  is 
nothing  before  you,  but  "  indignation  and  wrath, 
tribulation  and  anguish."  "  If  there  be  any  relief 
for  the  dark  prospects  of  the  wicked  as  to  the  fu- 
ture state,  it  must  come  only  from  this  source,  viz: 
that  the  Bible  has  disclosed  some  method  of  future 
relief  But  alas  !  where  i.s  this  to  be  found  ?  On 
this  subject  of  unspeakable  and  everlasting  mo- 
ment, of  tremendous  interest,  there  is  not  one  asser- 
tion, one  word  even,  in  all  the  book  of  God,  which, 
when  construed  by  the  usual  laws  of  lano-ua^e.  can 
afford  a  gleam  of  hope.  Where  is  another  state 
of  probation  described?  What  are  the  means  of 
grace  to  be  enjo3^ed  in  hell  ?  Is  it  the  preaching 
of  the  Gospel  ?  Is  it  the  influence  of  the  Holy 
Spirii  ?  Who  preaches  in  the  bottomless  pit :  or  how 
shall  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell  with  blasphemer? 
and  reprobates  ?  Will  misery  of  itself  make  men 
penitent  ?  And  this  in  a  world  from  which  the 
means  of  grace  are  excluded  ?  All,  all,  makes 
against  such  a  supposition.  There  is  not  a  sentence 
in  the  Scriptures  which  asserts  it.  or  gives  any  coun- 
tenance to  it.  All  the  warnings  and  exhortations 
which  the  Bible  contains  go  upon  the  ground  of 
men's  present  state  of  trial  being  iheu  final  and  de 
cisive  one."     I  remark  in  the 

Last  Place.  That  the  swearer's  doom  in  the 
eternal  world,  will  be  a  righteous  doom. 

He  will  receive  his  reward.  When  in  this 
world  he  stifled  the  voice  of  conscience  ;  disre- 
garded the  admonitions  of  friendship ;  neglected 
the  means  of  grace  ;  spurned  at  offers  of  mercy  and 
grieved  away  ihe  Spirit  of  God.     In  addition  to 


ON    PROFANE    SWEARING.  27 

this,  each  day  witnessed  his  awful  imprecations, 
either  upon  himself,  or  upon  his  fellow-men.  The 
Lord  called,  but  he  refused.  The  Lord  stretched 
out  his  hand,  but  he  did  not  regard  it.  -  He  set  at 
naught  all  his  counsel,  and  would  none  of  his  re- 
proof." "  I  also,"  saith  the  Lord,  "  wiJl  laugh  at 
your  calamity  :  and  mock  when  your  fear  cometh. 
When  your  fear  cometh  as  desolation,  and  your 
destruction  cometh  as  a  whirlwind ;  when  distress 
and  anguish  cometh  upon  you." 

Such  is  the  doom  of  the  profane  man ;  how  dread- 
ful, and  yet  how  just!  He  will  have  no  one  to 
blame  but  himself.  ''He  knew  his  duty,  but  he 
did  it  not." 

He  repeatedly  asked  God,  (O,  it  was  a  dreadful 
request,)  to  send  him  to  the  world  of  wo;  and  if 
after  sparing  him  year  after  year,  and  following 
him  with  entreaty  upon  entreaty,  to  turn  to  Him, 
and  live.  He  now  executes  the  full  vengeance  of 
His  wrath  upon  his  undying  soul,  will  He  not  be 
just  and  his  throne  forever  guiltless? 

In  conclusion,  fellow-men,  let  me  entreat  you  to 
take  this  matter  into  serious  consideration.  You 
may  consider  this  address  too  plain,  and  direct.  But 
is  there  not  a  cause?  Are  you  not  in  the  broad 
way  to  death  ?  Would  you  go  unwarned  to  the 
.udgment?  Will  you  consider  me  your  enemy 
Decause  I  tell  you  the  truth,  and  would  fain  pluck 
you  as  a  brand  from  the  burning?  You  must  be 
convinced  that  I  wish  you  well,  and  therefore  warn 
you  of  the  consequences  of  your  present  course. 
"O  that  you  were  wise,  that  you  understood  this, 
that  you  would  consider  your  latter  end."  If  you 
disregard  entreaty  and  admonition  a  little  longer, 
you  will  be  beyond  the  reach  of  warning,  of  mercy, 
and  of  prayer.      Your  momentary  rejoicing  will 


28  ON    PROFANE    SWEARING. 

give  place  to  eternal  mourning.  You  will  no  more 
mock  at  sin,  or  the  never-ceasing  sighs  of  the  place 
of  torment. 

Return,  C  blasphemer  return !  in  penitence  to 
your  oft-insulted  Father  in  heaven,  and  intreat  Him 
to  pardon  your  iniquity,  for  it  is  great.  Go  to  your 
injured  Saviour  and  tell  him, 

"  You're  a  wretch  undone, 
Without  his  sovereign  grace." 

And  above  all,  implore  most  earnestly  the  teach 
ings  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  He  may  lead  you 
to  confess  your  sins,  and  forsake  them,  and  fird 
mercy. 

TREASURING  UP  WRATH. 

Ungrateful  man  !  Oh  whence  this  scorn 

Of  long  extended  grace? 
And  whence  this  madness,  that  insults 

Th'  Almighty  to  his  face? 

Is  all  the  treasur'd  wrath  so  small, 

"i'ou  labor  still  for  more ; 
Though  not  eternal  rolling  years 

Can  e'er  exhaust  that  store  ? 

Swift  will  the  day  of  vengeance  come 

Which  must  your  sentence  seal ; 
And  righteous  judgment  now  unknown, 

In  all  its  wrath  reveal. 


Your  conquer'd  heart  shall  bow  j 
But  to  escape  the  vengeance  then 
Embrace  tlie  Saviour  now. 


TO    DRIVLRS    ON    THE    CAXi.LS.  29 


ADDRESS  TO  DRIVERS  ON  THE  CANALS. 

*  Of  all  the  seasons  of  life,  youth  is  the  one  in 
which  we  are  least  disposed  to  anticipate  days  of 
darkness.  The  spirits  are  then  light  and  cheerful. 
The  blood  is  warm  ;  the  passions  are  ardent ;  the 
inward  pleadings  for  their  indulgence  are  power- 
ful ;  restraint  is  felt  to  be  irksome,  and  is  esteemed 
unreasonable  ;  the  counsels  of  age  are  apt  to  be  dis- 
regarded, as  coming  from  those  who  have  them- 
selves enjoyed  their  youth,  and  who  being  incapa- 
ble of  its  pleasures,  would  ungenerously  deny  tnem 
to  others.  These  counsels  may  be  the  result  of 
dear-bought  experience,  and  the  dictate  of  sincerest 
affection.  But  youth  is  seldom,  or  ever  disposed  to 
take  it  upon  tru.st  from  others,  that  all  is  vanity,  but 
is  determined  to  make  the  trial  for  itself  Feeling 
that  there  are  pleasures  in  sin,  it  flatters  itself  with 
the  persuasion  that  tne  young  at  least  may  be  al- 
lowed a  little  license.  Impelled  by  inward  pro- 
pensities, and  solicited  by  outward  temptations,  it 
pursues  its  course  of  indulgence.  What  the  Bible 
condemns  as  dangerous  and  ruinous  sins,  it  learns 
to  call  by  the  soft  names  of  juvenile  levities,  irreg- 
ularities, mdiscretion  ;  and  laughs  away  reflection, 
as  the  business  of  maturer  age."' 

My  young  friends.  I  hope  you  will  listen  to  a  i'ew 
words  of  advice  from  one  who  has  no  other  interest 
in  addressing  you,  than  that  of  your  happiness  and 
usefulness  in  this  world,  and  the  everlasting  salva- 
tion of  your  souls  in  the  world  which  is  to  come, 
I  have  often  visited  you  at  your  stations,  and  con- 
versed and  prayed  with  you,  supplying  you  with 
Testaments  and  religious  books,  which  1  hope  may 
3* 


30  AI DRESS    TO 

be  attended  with  the  divine  blessing.  I  know  you 
are  greatly  exposed  to  temptation.  Some  of  you 
are  given  to  intemperance,  profane  swearing,  card 
playing,  &c.,  and  almost  all  of  you  during  the  sea- 
son of  navigation  are  obliged  to  spend  the  holy 
Sabbath  as  you  do  any  other  day  of  the  week.  You 
seldom  attend  church,  or  have  any  religious  instruc- 
tion whatever.  You  are  therefore  very  thoughtless 
about  your  souls.  Your  great  concern  is,  to  do 
something  to  make  yourselves  comfortable  in  this 
world,  and  even  in  this  you  are  often  disappointed. 
You  are  exposed  to  hardships,  by  day  and  by  night ; 
to  dews,  and  damps,  and  sickness,  and  death.  Under 
these  circumstances,  it  would  be  unkind  and  cruel, 
for  any  one  to  add  to  your  calamity,  or  unnecessa- 
rily to  increase  your  burthens.  It  is  not  my  inten- 
tion to  do  so.  If  I  speak  plainly  to  you  in  this 
address  :  if  I  warn  you  to  flee  "  from  the  wrath  to 
come,"  5'ou  must  consider  it  a  friendly  warning.  I 
wish  not  to  torment  you  before  the  time,  but  I  wish 
to  iet  you  know  that  if  you  live  without  God  in 
the  world,  and  die  in  your  sins,  you  will  be  far  more 
miserable  in  eternity  than  you  are,  or  can  be  here. 
And  on  the  other  hand  I  wish  to  let  you  know, 
that  if  you  turn  from  your  wicked  ways,  and  love 
and  serve  God  in  this  life,  you  will  be  perfectly 
happy  in  the  life  which  is  to  come.  Will  you  not 
then  give  me  your  attention,  while  I  say  a  few 
things  to  you  about  the  salvation  of  your  souls  ? 
And, 

First.  You  must  remember  God,  and  seek  Hira 
in  early  life. 

Forgeifulness  of  God  is  the  great  cause  of  pro- 
fanity, intemperance,  sabbath-breaking,  theft,  lying, 
lewdness,  idolatry  and  murder  in  the  world.  '-Can 
any  hide  himself  in  se?ret  places  thai   I  shall   not 


DRIVERS    ON    THE    CAXALS.  31 

<ee  him?  saith  the  Lord.  Do  not  I  fill  heaven 
and  earth  ?  saith  the  Lord."  How  solemn  is  the 
thought  that  that  "  God  with  whom  we  have  to  do 
and  in  whose  hand  our  breath  is,  and  whose  are  all 
our  ways,''  is  every  where.  Would  not  those  who 
are  guilty  of  committing  some,  or  all  of  the  sins 
just  mentioned  tremble  and  be  greatly  afraid,  if 
they  realized  the  constant  presence  of  that  Bnng 
whose  eyes  are  as  a  flame  of  fire;  before  whom  the 
night  shineth  as  the  day  ;  to  whom  the  darkness 
and  the  light  are  both  alike?  Let  the  youth  who 
is  tempted  to  sin  bear  this  in  mind,  "  Thou,  God 
seeest  me."     Let  him  say  to  himself, 

"  Within  thy  circling  power  I  stand ; 
On  every  side  I  find  thy  hand ; 
Awake,  asleep,  at  home,  abroad. 
I  am  surrounded  still  with  God."' 

My  young  friends,  forgetfulness  of  this  awful 
cruth  leads  you  to  do  a  great  many  wicked  things 
you  would  not  do  when  tempced  to  sin.  And  as  a 
natural  consequence,  it  also  leads  you  to  depart  far- 
ther and  farther  from  God.  He  calls  upon  you  to 
"  Remember  your  Creator  in  ihe  days  of  your 
youth."  He  says  to  you,  - 1  love  them  that  love  me ; 
and  those  that  seek  me  early  shall  find  me."  All 
this  you  entirely  disregard  ;  God  is  not  in  all  your 
thoughts  ;  you  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  His 
ways.  Your  Saviour  follows  you  with  entreaty  upon 
entreaty  :  He  says  to  you  in  Prov.  2d,  "My  son,  if 
thou  wilt  receive  my  words,  and  hide  my  command- 
ments with  thee  ;  so  that  thou  incline  thine  ear 
unto  wisdom,  and  apply  thine  heart  to  undrrsiand- 
ing ;  yea,  if  thou  cnest  after  knowledge,  and  liftest 
up  thy  voice  for  understanding;  if  thou  seekest  her 
as  silver,  and  searches!  for  her  as  for   hid  treasure; 


82  >^JDRESS    TO 

then  shalt  thou  understand  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  an- 
find  the  knowledge  of  God." 

This  is  a  most  encouraging  scripture,  to  seek  God 
in  early  life.  Do  any  of  you,  dear  youth,  desire 
the  favor  and  love  of  God  ?  Do  you  wish  to  die 
the  death  of  the  righteous?  here  you  are  assured 
of  obtaining  all  this  good  if  you  seek  Him  now 
even  m  the  morning  of  life.    •!  remark, 

Secondly.  You  must  not  let  difficulties  preven 
you  from  seeking  God  early. 

I  am  sensible  there  are  very  great  difficulties  in 
the  way  of  your  conversion  to  God.  Many  of  you 
have  had  little  instruction  in  the  Bible:  you'have 
been  poor  and  neglected.  Others  of  you  have  been 
well  instructed,  and  not  liking  parental  restraint 
have  broken  away  from  your  father's  house,  and 
like  the  prodigal  are  in  want.  Some  of  you  are 
orphans  and  have  to  provide  for  yourselves,  and 
havmg  no  one  to  care  for  you,  you  have  fallen  into 
bad  company,  and  have  learned  to  swear,  and  to 
practise  almost  every  evil.  And  nearly  all  of  you 
strengthen  each  other's  hands  in  wickedness.  You 
are  also  deprived  of  the  privilege  of  attending 
church  on  the  Sabbath.  Seldom  do  you  see  a  mis 
sionary,  or  have  any  thing  said  to  you  about  your 
souls.  Your  companions  are  generally  profane, 
and  some  of  them  intemperate,  and  nearly  all  of 
♦hem  forgetful  of  God,  and  the  interests  of  their  im- 
mortal souls.  All  these  things  render  it  difficult 
for  you  to  become  religious.  And  if  at  any  time 
one  of  you  becomes  serious,  his  companions  will 
try  to  laugh  him  out  of  it.  I  have  often  heard 
Boatmen  say,  "  We  cannot  be  religious  in  this 
place."  And  I  am  not  surprised  they  think  so  ;  for 
it  must  be  acknowledged  there  are  many  difl&cul 
ties  in  the  way  of  a  religious  life  among  you. 


DRIVERS    ON    THE    CANALS.  33 

My  young  friends,  I  know  and  acknowledge  your 
dangers  and  your  difficulties ;  but  you  must  not  be 
surprised  if  1  say  to  you,  one  and  all,  they  can^  and 
they  must  be  overcome.  If  you  are  disposed  to 
love  and  serve  God,  you  will  do  it,  no  matter  where 
you  are.  If  the  fear  of  God  is  in  your  hearts,  you 
will  not  regard  the  ridicule  of  the  wicked.  If  you 
knew  you  were  condemned  to  die  in  a  few  days, 
and  the  only  man  on  earth  who  had  the  powgr  to 
pardon  you,  should  say  to  you,  "  If  you  will  ask  me 
to  pardon  you  I  will  do  it,"  do  you  suppose  you 
would  say,  '•  my  companions  will  laugh  at  and  des- 
pise me  for  it,  and  therefore  I  will  suffer  the  pen- 
alty of  the  law  ?"  You  know  you  would  disre- 
gard all  that  they  should  say  or  do,  and  no  obsta- 
cles would  prevent  you  from  obtaining  pardon. 
Now  let  me  apply  this  case  to  your  soul.  That  is 
condemned  already,  and  the  "  wrath  of  God  abideth 
on  you."  The  Bible  says  this,  and  therefore  it 
must  be  true.  Whether  you  believe  it  or  not,  you 
are  while  out  of  Christ,  poor  lost  sinners,  on  your 
way  to  the  place  of  endless  torment.  In  the  Bible 
this  place  is  often  called  M/, "  where  their  worm  dieth 
not,  and  their  fire  is  not  quenched."  In  this  place 
of  misery  all  those  who  live  and  die  in  sin,  are  to 
dwell  with  the  devil  and  his  angels  for  ever.  Do 
not  laugh  at  this.  If  you  become  mockers,  your 
bonds  may  be  made  strong.  God  may  leave  you  to 
believe  a  lie,  that  you  "  may  be  damned." 

I  feel  very  much  concerned,  for  fear  you  will 
treat  this  subject  lightly.  If  you  do  impenitent 
youth  what  hope  can  there  be  in  your  case?  You 
can  be  saved  now,  if  you  will  accept  of  Christ  as 
your  Saviour.  There  is  "  a  name  given  under  hea- 
ven among  men"'  by  which  you  can  and  must  be 
saved.    This  name  is  the  name  of  Jesus.    He  cam 


34  ADDRESS    TO 

from  heaven  to  earth  to  save  lost  sinners.  He  is 
both  able  and  willing  to  save.  He  alone  can  grant 
you  a  pardon,  that  will  deliver  you  from  the  con- 
demnation of  the  righteous  law  of  God.  And  will 
you  not  ask  mercy  at  His  hand  ?  Will  you  not 
pray,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  Sinner  ?  Will 
you  suffer  your  companions  in  sin  to  laugh  you  out 
of  your  seriousness?  Will  you  suffer  any  diffi- 
culty whatever  to  prevent  your  eternal  salvation  1 
Will  you  disregard  entreaty  and  admonition  a  little 
longer  ?  If  you  do,  it  can  be  but  a  little.  The 
time  is  coming,  and  may  be  near,  when  you  will 
die.  Then,  whether  you  are  prepared  or  not,  your 
soul  must  stand  before  God.  How  will  you  feel  at 
that  solemn  moment  if  you  have  all  your  life  neg- 
lected the  "  great  salvation."  You  cannot  expect 
God  to  show  you  mercy  after  you  have  despised 
His  offers  of  mercy  all  your  life.  You  cannot  ox- 
pect  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  take  you  to  heaven, 
when  a  thousand  times  you  profaned  His  holy 
name,  and  never  called  upon  him  in  prayer  to  bless 
and  save  you.  After  the  rich  man  died  and  lifted 
his  eyes  in  hell,  he  found  his  mistake  in  not  calling 
for  mercy  in  time,  and  began  to  call  for  some  re- 
lief when  it  was  too  late.  So  it  will  be  with  you, 
vain  youth,  if  you  go  on  a  little  longer  in  your  sins. 
Your  light  and  trifling  heart  will  experience  too 
deep  an  anguish  ever  to  rejoice  again.  As  hard  as 
your  lot  is  in  this  world,  if  you  die  in  your  sins  it 
will  be  unspeakably  harder  in  the  world  to  come. 
Here,  notwithstanding  your  poverty,  you  have 
many  good  things.  But  if  you  go  "  to  that  place 
of  torment,"  you  will  find  they  have  all  been  re- 
ceived. Instead  of  being  comforted  you  will  be 
tormented.     Do  not  dismiss  this  subject  as  soon  as 


DiaVERS    ox    THE    CANALS.  35 

you  have  read  this  address.  But  listen  to  me  still 
farther,  while  I  remark  in  the 

Third  arid  Last  Place.  In  order  that  you  may 
overcome  these  difficulties,  you  must  keep  the  sub- 
ject of  death,  judgment,  and  of  eternity  before 
you. 

Those  who  are  unprepared  to  die,  are  unwilling 
to  think  about  death.  They  avoid  conversation  on 
the  subject,  and  banish  it  as  much  as  possible  from 
their  minds.  This  accounts  for  the  ignorance,  pro- 
fanity, and  carnal  security  of  the  thousands  of  youth 
on  our  canals  and  elsewhere.  They  know  that 
death  sometimes  comes  to  the  young,  but  they  do 
not  calculate  he  will  come  and  take  them  away  to 
the  eternal  world.  Now  this  is  both  sinful  and  un- 
wise. God  commands  the  young  to  remember 
Him :  to  love  and  serve  Him  ;  and  thus  to  be  pre- 
pared to  die,  and  dwell  with  Him  for  ever.  If  a 
youth  refuses  to  do  this,  even  for  a  day,  he  treats 
the  Great  God  with  contempt.  He  says,  by  his 
conduct,  I  will  not  have  this  God  to  reign  over 
me.  Is  not  this  an  awful  sin  1  It  is  folly  also  :  for 
death  will  come  just  as  soon,  notwithstanding  you 
may  banish  all  thoughts  of  it  from  your  minds. 
A-nd  then  too,  this  forgetfulness  of  so  serious  and 
important  a  subject,  will  make  it  certain  that  when 
He  comes  He  will  find  you  unprepared.  How  can 
you,  dear  youth,  be  so  foolish  as  to  banish  from 
your  minds  the  approach  of  the  "  king  of  terrors," 
who  is  to  introduce  you  into  a  world  where  there 
is  to  be  no  more  change.  If  you  keep  this  subject 
at  all  times  before  you,  you  will  be  concerned  about 
the  safety  of  your  soul.  You  will  be  saying  to 
yourselves,  "  I  must  die  soon,  and  stand  before  God, 
and  then  if  I  am  not  saved,  through  the  Lord  Jesua 
Christj  my  soul  will  be  forever  lost  in  hell."  Would 


36  ADDRESS    TO 

not  such  thoughts  lead  you  to  overcome  the  diffi 
culties  in  the  way  of  your  conversion  ?  Would 
you  not  be  led  to  seek  the  Lord,  and  call  upon  Him 
for  mercy,  and  pardon  and  eternal  life  ?  What  if 
others  should  point  at  you  the  finger  of  scorn, 
would  that  stop  you  from  seeking  the  Lord,  when 
you  felt  that  )"0u  were  dying  sinners,  in  a  dying 
world,  and  that  unless  you  found  mercy  soon,  the 
door  of  mercy  would  be  closed,  and  God  would 
"  Swear  in  his  wrath  that  you  should  not  enter  into 
his  rest?"  No,  profane,  thoughtless  youth,  you  will 
be  profane  and  thoughtless  no  more,  if  you  keep 
these  solemn  things,  death,  judgment,  and  eternity 
constantly  before  your  minds. 

O  the  thought  of  that  day  also  when  the  "  dead 
shall  hear  his  voice  and  come  forth  ;  they  that  have 
done  good  to  the  resurrection  of  Jife  ;  and  they  that 
have  done  evil  to  the  resurrection  of  damnation.'' 

"  O  the  day !  the  dreadful  day, 
When  man  to  judgment  wakes  from  clay , 
What  power  shall  be  the  sinner's  stay, 
How  shall  he  meet  that  dreadful  day." 

The  thought  of  that  great  day  should  make  the 
sinner  tremble,  and  fall  to  "  sudden  prayer."  Sup- 
pose the  5000  drivers  on  our  canals  should  this 
night  be  called  to  die,  and  stand  before  God,  and 
be  "judged  according  to  the  deeds  done  in  the 
body  ?"  How  few  of  them  w^e  have  reason  to  ho^«» 
would  be  saved.  Could  we  see  their  departed  sp. 
rits  in  the  eternal  world,  what  weeping,  lamenta 
tion,  and  wo  should  we  witness. 

Dear  youth,  you  are  not  yet  called  to  die,  and  to 
be  judged,  and  will  you  not  improve  the  little  time 
you  may  live  in  preparation  for  heaven?  You 
have  been  told  repeatedly  that  you  cannot  go  there 


DRIVERS    ON    THE    CANALS.  37 

an. ess  you  become  holy.  Do  not  say  you  will  at- 
tend to  this  subject  to-morrow,  or  next  day,  or  next 
week,  or  next  winter  after  you  leave  the  cana.. 
You  have  no  security  for  your  life.  You  know 
riDt  what  a  day  may  bring  forth.  Your  life  is  even 
as  a  "  vapor,  that  appeareth  for  a  little  while,  and 
then  vanisheth  away."  While  you  are  resolving 
to  do  better,  and  to  seek  the  salvation  of  your  souls, 
death  may  come  and  surprise  you  in  your  sins,  and 
send  your  immortal  spirits  into  eternity,  there  to  la- 
ment a  misspent  life  in  groans,  and  sighs,  and  tears 
and  prayers,  without  relief  and  without  end 

ADVICE   TO   YOUTH. 

"  Now  in  the  heat  of  youthful  blood 
Remember  your  Creator  God, 
Behold  the  months  come  hast'ning  on, 
When  you  shall  say — my  joys  are  go/ie. 

"  Behold  the  aged  sinner  goes, 
Laden  with  guilt  and  heavy  woes, 
Down  to  the  regions  of  the  dead, 
With  endless  curses  on  his  head. 

*•'  The  dust  returns  to  dust  again : 
The  soul  in  agonies  of  pain 
Ascends  to  God  ;  not  there  to  dwell, 
But  hears  her  doom  and  sinks  to  hell. 

"  Eternal  King,  1  fear  thy  name, 
Teach  me  to  know  how  frail  I  am ; 
And  when  ray  soul  must  hence  remove, 
Give  me  a  mansion  in  thy  love." 


"W^iaustall  appear  before  the  judgment  scti 
of  Jesus  Christ." 

^  The  day  of  the  Lord  will  come  as  a  thief  in 
the  night-  in  tho  which,  the  heavens  shall  pass 
4 


38  THE    IMPOSSIBILITY    OF    ESCAPE. 

away  with  a  great  noise,  and  the  elements  shal 
melt  with  fervent  heat,  the  earth  also  and  the 
works  that  are  therein  shall  be  burned  up."  2d 
Peter,  iii.  10. 

*•  Sinners,  awake  betimes  ;  ye  fools  be  wise  ! 
Awake,  before  this  dreadful  morning  rise. 
Change  your  vain  thoughts,  your  crooked  works  amend 
Fly  to  the  Saviour,  make  the  Judge  your  friend. 
Thenjoiiu  ye  saints  ;  wake  every  cheerful  passion : 
Wlien  Christ  returns^  he  comes  for  your  salvationP 


THE  IMPOSSIBILITY  OF  ESCAPE, 

"  How  can  ye  escape  the  damnation  of  hell."— Matt,  xjdii.  23 

These  words  are  the  conclusion  of  the  eighth 
wo  denounced  against  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees, 
for  their  hypocrisy  and  unbelief  These  men  were 
exalt-ed  to  heaven  in  point  of  privilege,  and  for 
their  abuse  of  their  privileges  were  to  be  cast  down 
to  hell.  They  were  warned  of  their  danger  but 
the  warning  was  attended  with  no  good  effect.  They 
were  exhorted  to  repentance,  but  they  considered 
themselves  sufficiently  righteous  without  repen- 
tance. They  placed  all  their  religion  in  heartless 
form,  and  would  none  of  the  reproof  of  the  Lord. 
They  resisted  all  the  efforts  of  John  the  Baptist, 
and  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  convince  and  con- 
vert them  :  and  therefore  "  wrath  come  upon  them 
to  the  uttermost."  "  Fill  ye  up  then  the  measure 
of  your  fathers,"  said  the  meek  and  lowly  Saviour, 
"  Ye  serpents,  ye  generation  of  vipers,  how  can  ye 
escape  the  damnation  of  hell  V^ 


THE    IMPOSSIBILITY     OF    ESCAPE.  39 

These  men  have  long  since  gone  to  meet  the  re- 
ributions  of  eternity.  But  were  they  the  only  per- 
sons to  whom  this  language  is  applicable  ?  Oh  no: 
there  were  multitudes  M^/i,  and  there  are  multitudes 
now^  in  the  same  broad  way  to  destruction.  Multi- 
tudes, of  whom  It  may  be  said  with  the  strictest 
propriety,  they  cannot  escape  the  "  damnation  of 
hell." 

The  word  hell  is  sometimes  used  in  the  Bible  to 
denote  the  grave ;  but  in  very  many  places  it  can 
only  mean  the  place  of  future  and  eternal  punish- 
ment, originally  "  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his 
angels."  This  must  be  its  meaning  in  this  place. 
Since  there  is  such  a  place  as  an  eternal  hell ;  and 
since  those  who  die  in  their  sins  are  to  be  cast  into 
it :  it  certainly  is  an  act  of  mercy  in  God  to  warn 
us  of  our  danger  ;  and  an  act  of  mercy  in  a  preacher 
of  the  Gospel  to  reiterate  the  warning,  that  men  may 
be  induced  to  flee  in  season  from  the  wrath  to  come. 
To  keep  this  subject  out  of  sight,  or  to  give  it  less 
prominence  than  is  given  to  it  in  the  Bible,  is  both 
cruel  and  unwise.  To  exclude  it  from  our  reflec- 
tions,— to  dismiss  it  as  soon  as  possible  when  it  in- 
trudes itself  upon  our  thoughts ;  or  to  attempt  to 
explain  away  the  many  passages  of  Scripture  that 
refer  to  the  "  place  of  torment"  argues  unpardona- 
ble ignorance  and  hardness  of  heart. 

The  object  of  this  discourse  is  not  to  enter  upon 
the  proof  that  the  punishment  of  the  wicked  in  the 
future  world,  will  be  endless  in  its  duration.  I  as- 
sume it  as  a  fact,  a  solemn  and  awful  fact,  that  there 
is  not  "  o?i«  assertion, — one  word  even,"  in  all  the 
Book  of  God,  '•  which  when  construed  by  the  usual 
laws  of  language"  can  afford  a  gleam  of  hope,  to 
alleviate  the  dark  prospects  of  the  wicked  in  the 
world  to  come. 


40  THE    IMPOSSIBILITY    OF    ESCAPE. 

The  object  will  be  to  notice  the  different  classes 
of  persons,  who  dying  as  they  live,  cannot  escape 
the  "damnation  of  hell."     And 

First.  All  unbelievers  in  Divine  Revelation, 
hving  and  dying  such,  cannot  escape  this  fearful 
doom. 

Under  this  head  I  include  all  those  who  either  in 
whole  or  in  part,  reject  the  revelation  which  God 
has  made  to  men.  The  sacred  Scriptures  are  the 
only  infallible  rule  of  faith  and  practice.  They 
give  us  the  only  satisfactory  account  of  the  perfec- 
tions of  God  ;  the  fall  of  man ;  and  his  recovery 
through  the  atonement  of  Christ ;  of  the  account 
of  the  Holy  Spirit;  the  judgment  of  the  great  day; 
the  eternal  blessedness  of  the  righteous  ;  and  the 
condemnation  and  eternal  doom  of  the  wicked.  All 
will  readily  perceive  that  these  are  matters  of  the 
utmost  importance  to  beings  whose  life  is  a  vapor, 
whose  natures  are  sinful,  whose  hearts  must  be 
changed,  and  whose  sins  must  be  forgiven,  in  order 
to  secure  the  favor  of  God,  and  a  blessed  immortal- 
ity. Since  God  has  been  pleased  to  give  us  this 
revelation,  it  is  most  evident  that  a  disbelief  of  it, 
involves  the  deepest  guilt  and  the  most  aggravated 
condemnation.  To  deny  a  part  of  the  Bible,  must 
also  involve  the  same  guilt  and  condemnation.  It 
1.-^  written,  "  If  any  man  shall  take  away  from  the 
words  of  the  book  of  this  prophecy,  God  shall  take 
a. "'ay  his  part  out  of  the  book  of  life,  and  out  of  the 
holy  city,  and  from  the  things  which  are  written  in 
this  book."  This  solemn  and  awful  declaration 
more  than  intimates  that  the  expungers  and  reject- 
ors of  the  Bible  shall  be  banished  from  the  holy 
city,  and  from  all  good  forever. 

Secondly.  Immoral  persons,  living  and  dying 
such,  cannot  escape  the  "  damnation  of  hell." 


THE    IMPOSSIBILITY    OF    ESCAPE.  41 

It  is  not  necessary  to  enumerate  the  different 
classes  of  men  who  may  be  termed  immoral.  All 
who  are  in  the  habit  of  reading  the  Scriptures,  or 
of  hearing  them  read,  must  be  sensible  that  they 
condemn  persons  of  this  description  to  perpetual 
banishment  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord.  Not  a 
solitary  exception  can  be  found  in  the  Bible.  In 
every  age,  and  among  every  people,  men  dying 
immoral,  have  been  excluded  from  the  kingdon  of 
heaven.  What  multitudes  of  these  have  thronged, 
and  what  multitudes  still  throng  ihe  broad  way 
to  destruction !  There  can  be  no  hope  for  them. 
They  are  condemned  already,  and  the  wrath  of 
God  abideth  on  them.  Their  sins  go  beforehand 
to  judgment.  By  their  pollutions  they  make  it 
evident  to  themselves  and  others,  that  they  are  not 
in  a  saved  state.  Oh,  that  such  would  consider  their 
ways  and  be  wise ;  that  they  would  confess  their 
sins,  and  take  hold  on  the  paths  of  life. 

Thirdly  Impenitent  persons,  however  moral,  can- 
not escape  the  "  damnation  of  hell." 

All  immoral  persons  are  impenitent]  yet  it  does 
not  follow  that  all  moral  persons  are  penitent.  The 
Scribes  and  Pharisees  were  very  correct  in  their 
outward  deportment,  and  yet  they  were  called  upon 
by  John  the  Baptist,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to 
repent.  To  this  class  the  words  of  the  text  were 
originally  addressed.  Our  Lord  had  no  hearers 
who  were  farther  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  He 
charges  them  with  hypocrisy,  and  with  paying 
'•  tithe  of  mmt,  anise,  and  cummin,  and  omitting 
the  weightier  matters  of  the  law,  judgment,  mercy 
and  faith."  They  are  represented  as  "  making 
clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  platter,  while 
within  they  were  full  of  extortion  and  excess." 
From  all  this  it  is  evident  they  were  moral  in  the 
4* 


42  THE    IMPOSSIBILITY    OF    ESCAPE. 

usual  acceptation  of  that  term ;  while  their  hearts 
were  hard  and  insensible.  Their  carnal  minds  were 
full  of  enmity,  both  to  the  person  and  the  doctrines  of 
Christ,  and  the}''  were  assured  by  the  Saviour  him- 
self that  "  Publicans  and  harlots  would  enter  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  before  them." 

All  moral  persons  who  are  destitute  of  repen- 
tance, may  not  equal  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  in 
hypocrisy  and  hardness  of  heart ;  still  there  is  much 
reason  to  believe  that  among  this  portion  of  the 
community  there  are  many  who,  trusting  to  their 
own  worthless  righteousness,  are  even  farther  from 
the  kingdom  of  God  than  the  vicious  and  immoral, 
especially  if  they  are  Christless  professors  of  reli- 
gion. Those  who  have  not  experienced  the  renew- 
ing influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  regard  merely 
their  external  conformity  to  the  law.  If  their  life 
is  outAvardly  prosperous,  they  look  with  contempt 
upon  the  meek  and  lowly  disciples  of  Christ.  This 
was  strikingly  illustrated  in  the  conduct  of  the 
Pharisee,  who  ''  thanked  God  that  he  was  not  as 
other  men,  extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers,"  or  even 
as  the  publican,  who,  standing  afar  off,  would  not 
so  much  as  lift  his  eyes  unto  heaven,  but  smot6 
upon  his  breast,  saying,  '"  God  be  merciful  to  me  a 
sinner."  "  i  tell  you,"  said  the  Saviour,  "this  man 
went  down  to  his  house  justified,  rather  than  the 
other."  Self-righteousness  is  the  peculiar  charac- 
teristic of  this  class ;  well  may  it  be  said  of  them, 
"  How  hardly  shall  they  enter  into  the  kingdom,  of 
heaven."  Ah  !  fellow-men,  "  Except  ye  repent,  ye 
shall  all  likewise  perish."  Yes,  as  surely  as  the 
infidel  and  the  immoral.  Their  sins  go  beforehand 
to  judgment.  Death  and  condemnation  is  written 
upon  all  they  do  and  say  ;  the  sins  of  the  moral- 
ist and  hypocrite  being  hid  from  the  observation  of 


THE    DIPOSSIBILITY    OF    ESCAPE.  43 

their  fellow-men,  under  a  fair  outward  deportment, 
follow  after,  but  will  as  inevitably  meet  their  re- 
ward. 

Lastly.  All  those  cannot  -  escape  the  damna- 
..-:j  of  hell,"  who  die  without  experiencmg  the  re 
newing  and  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

Said  the  Saviour  to  Nicodemus,  "  Verily,  verily, 
I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he 
cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God.''  No  language 
can  be  plainer  or  more  explicit.  According  to  this 
Scripture,  as  certainly  as  a  man  has  been  once  horn, 
he  must  be  born  again  ;  or  he  must  bid  farewell  to 
God  and  Christ  and  heaven  forevermore.  To  a  pro- 
fessor and  teacher  of  religion,  this  language  was  first 
addressed.  This  master  in  Israel  knew  no  more 
of  the  doctrine  of  spiritual  regeneration,  than  a  child 
does  of  the  greatest  mysteries  of  philosophy.  O  how 
many  wear  the  garb  of  sanctity  ;  how  man}-  attempt 
to  preach  the  Gospel  without  the  least  practical 
knowledge  of  the  essential  doctrine  of  spiritual  ren- 
ovation. All  men  by  nature  are  destitute  of  holi- 
ness, -without  which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord.'' 
Christ  came  into  the  world  to  redeem  unto  himself 
a  peculiar  people.  He  saves  them  from  their  sins. 
This  is  effected  bv  the  renewing  and  sanctifying 
influences  of  His  Spirit  on  their  hearts.  Forms  of 
religion  without  this  are  vain  :  and  all  pretensions  to 
faith  and  piety  solemn  mockery.  When  the  Spirit 
of  God  performs  this  work  on  the  human  mind,  he 
invariably  teaches  us  that  we  are  by  nature  and  by 
practice,  sinners  :  that  while  in  this  state  we  are  not 
fitted  for  the  holy  duties  and  enjoyments  of  reli- 
gion ;  and  tha;  we  can  never  be  saved  without  spir 
itual  regeneration. 


44  THE    IMPOSSIBILITY    OF    ESCAPE. 

'■  "When  to  the  law  I  trembling  fled, 
It  pour'd  its  curses  on  my  head, 

I  no  relief  could  find ; 
This  fearful  truth  increased  my  pain, 
The  sinner  must  be  born  again^ 

And  ■whelm'd  my  tortur'd  mind- 

Again  did  Sinai's  thunders  roll, 
And  guilt  lay  heavy  on  my  soul, 

A  vast  oppressive  load ; 
Alas,  I  read  and  saw  it  plain, 
The  sinner  must  be  born  again, 

Or  drink  the  wrath  of  God." 

Reader,  I  have  thus  far  pursued  this  awful  sub* 
ject  with  a  firm  conviction  that  what  has  been  ad- 
vanced is  founded  on  the  Bible.  Has  God  said, 
"the  wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell,  with  all  the 
nations  that  forget  Him  ?"  Then  we  may  rest  as- 
sured it  will  be  as  He  has  said.  Notwithstanding 
Christ  prayed  his  Father  to  forgive  his  persecutors; 
notwithstanding  when  on  earth  he  shed  tears  of 
compassion  over  sinners  ;  notwithstanding  He  is  the 
"  only  name  under  heaven  given  among  men, 
whereby  we  must  be  saved  ;"  still,  if  men  will  re- 
ject Him  :  if  they  will  walk  in  their  own  evil  way, 
He  must  and  he  imll  bring  them  into  judgment. 
"  If  he  whet  his  glittering  sword,  and  his  hand 
take  hold  on  vengeance ;  he  will  render  fury  to 
his  adversaries,  and  recompense  to  his  enemies !" 

"  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
might  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  But 
if  the  world  will  not  believe  in  him,  it  cannot  be 
saved.  "He  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which 
was  lost.''^  Yel  he  has  also  assured  us,  that  if  we 
die  in  our  sins,  we  cannot  be  saved,  we  must  be 
lost.  God  in  his  sovereignty  has  resolved  that  his 
mercy  sJ^all  never  be  extended  to  the  place  of  tor- 


THE    r.IPOSSIBILITV     OF    ESCAPE.  45 

ment ;  and  this  is  the  reason  why  the  finally  im- 
penitent "  cannot  escape  the  damnation  of  hell." 
At  an  infinite  expense,  salvation  has  been  procured 
for  men  :  yet  if  they  will  not  in  this  life  avail  them- 
selves of  the  Gospel  offer,  there  can  be  no  hope: 
for  in  the  life  to  come,  no  proclamations  of  pardon, 
no  tidings  of  salvation  are  ever  heard. 

Reader,  be  assured  of  this,  that  if  you  fail  of 
obtaining  salvation  here,  you  w'lU  fail  forever.  I 
repeat  what  I  have  before  said  ;  there  is  no  intima- 
tion in  Scripture,  that  men  will  ever  enjoy  another 
season  of  grace  ;  another  opportunity  of  repentance. 
Be  entreated  to  consider  this,  ye  careless  and 
thoughtless  ones,  and  turn  to  the  strong-hold  while 
yet  you  are  prisoners  of  hope.  God  now  warns 
you  of  your  danger  ;  he  entreats  you  to  return  ;  he 
assures  you  if  you  repent,  and  confess  and  forsake 
your  sins,  you  shall  find  mercy.  He  promises  you 
saving  grace  if  you  will  seek  him  with  all  your 
heart.  "  My  son,"  says  God  by  Solomon,  -  if  thou 
wilt  receive  my  words,  and  hide  my  commandments 
with  thee ;  so  that  thou  incline  thine  ear  unto  wis- 
dom, and  apply  thine  heart  to  understanding  ;  yea, 
if  thou  criest  after  knowledge,  and  liftest  up  thy 
voice  for  understanding  ;  if  thou  seekest  her  as  sil- 
ver, and  searchest  for  her  as  for  hid  treasures  ;  then 
fihall  thou  understand  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and 
find  the  knowledge  of  God." 

Reader,  if  you  place  yourself  under  the  shadow 
of  Jehovah's  wings,  he  will  be  your  sun  and  shield, 
— but  if  you  forsake  him  he  will  cast  you  off'  for- 
ever. You  are,  whether  sensible  of  it  or  not,  des- 
tined to  an  immortal  existence  ;  and  by  your  con- 
duct are  to  determine  whether  that  existence  shall 
be  joyous  or  painful.  Life  and  death  are  set  be- 
fore you;  your  choice  is  to  determine  which  shall 


46  THE    IMPOSSIBlLnV    OF    ESCAPE. 

be  your  portion.  If  you  choose  Christ  as  your  por- 
tion, you  will  be  eternally  saved  in  heaven  ;  if  you 
choose  the  world,  you  will  be  eternally  lost  in  hell. 
O  may  God  dispose  you  by  his  word  and  Spirit  to 
choose  life,  that  your  soul  may  live,  and  to  Hij 
name  be  all  the  glory.     Amen. 

EXPOSTULATION.    7s. 

Sinners  !  turn,  why  will  ye  die? 
God,  your  Maker,  asks  you  why  ; 
God  who  did  your  being  give, 
Made  you  with  himself  to  live ; 
He  the  fatal  cause  demands, 
Asks  the  work  of  his  own  hands  ; 
Why,  ye  thankless  creatures,  why 
Will  you  cross  his  love  and  die  ? 

Sinners !  turn — why  will  ye  die  ? 
Godj  your  Saviour^  asks  you  why  ; 
He  who  his  own  life  did  give, 
That  ye  might  forever  live  ; 
Will  you  let  him  die  in  vain, 
Crucify  your  Lord  again  ? 
Why,  0  ransomed  sinners,  why 
Will  ye  slight  his  grace  and  die  ? 

Sinners !  turn — why  will  ye  die  ? 
God,  the  Spirit  J  asks  you  why : 
He  who  all  your  lives  hath  strove — 
Moved  you  to  embrace  his  love — 
Will  ye  not  his  love  receive  ? 
Will  ye  still  refuse  to  live  ? 
Why,  0  long-sought  sinners,  why 
Will  ye  grieve  your  God  an(i  die  ? 


THE    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  47 


THE  COMING  OF  CHRIST. 

"B«hold  he  cometh  with  clouds  ;  and  every  eye  shall  see  him,  and 
they  also  which  pierced  him  :  and  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  shall 
wail  because  of  him." — Rev.  i.  7. 

The  religion  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  aims  to 
make  men  happy  by  making  them  holy.  The  in- 
fluence of  all  its  doctrines,  is  to  subdue  pasnion,  re- 
strain from  sin,  and  excite  the  soul  to  holy  and  hea- 
venly attainments.  Do  we  urge  repentance,  self- 
denial,  and  watchfulness  ;  it  is  that  men  maybe  pre- 
pared for  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  for 
the  retributions  of  eternity.  For  without  repentance 
towards  God,  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
we  are  not  prepared  for  the  tremendous  scenes  of  a 
future  judgment. 

In  speaking  from  this  passage  of  Scripture,  I 
shall  notice — 

I.  The  certainty, 

TI.  The  manner,  and 

III.  The  effects  of  Christ's  coming  to  judgment 

I.  The  certainty  of  his  commg. 

"Enoch,  the  seventh  from  Adam,  prophesied  say 
ing.  Behold  the  Lord  cometh  with  ten  thousand  of 
his  saints,  to  execute  judgment  upon  all,  and  to  con 
vince  all  that  are  ungodly  among  them  ;  and  of  all 
their  ungodly  deeds  which  they  have  ungodly  com- 
mitted, and  of  all  their  hard  speeches  which  un- 
godly sinners  have  spoken  against  him."  After  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead,  he  showed 
himself  to  his  disciples,  being  seen  of  them  forty 
days,  and  speaking  of  the  things  pertaining  to  the 
kingdom  of  God.  It  was  on  one  of  these  occasions 
he  was  parted  from  them  and  a  cloud  received  hira 


48  THE    COMING    OF    CHRIST. 

out  of  their  sight.  "  And  while  they  looked  stea"^ 
fastly  towards  heaven  as  he  went  up,  behold,  two 
men  stood  by  them  in  white  apparel  ;  which  also 
said,  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye  gazing  up 
into  heaven?  this  same  Jesus,  who  is  taken  up  from 
you  into  heaven,  shall  so  come  in  like  manner  a3 
ye  have  seen  him  go  into  heaven." 

Again.  The  tyranny  and  oppression  ;  the  injus- 
tice and  extortion,  and  excess  that  have  in  every 
ao-e  distracted  the  world  ;  together  with  the  unequal 
distribution  of  rewards  and  punishments,  is  a  strong 
presumptive  evidence  that  there  will  be  a  day  of 
retribution,  and  perdition  of  ungodly  men. 

In  this  world  the  powerful  not  unfrequently  op- 
press the  weak  and  innocent.  The  haughty  king 
of  Egypt  oppressed  the  people  of  God,  and  held 
the  church  in  bondage.  Nebuchadnezzar  cast  the 
three  w^orthies  of  Babylon  into  the  furnace  of  fire 
for  not  worshipping  the  image  of  gold  which  he 
had  set  up.  Herod  caused  the  voice  of  weeping 
and  lamentation  to  be  heard  in  Bethlehem  of  Ju- 
dea,  "  Rachel  weeping  for  her  children,  and  would 
not  be  comforted  because  they  are  not." 

Many  conscientious  and  devoted  Christians  have 
had  trial  of  "  cruel  mockings  and  scourgings ;  they 
were  stoned, — they  were  sawn  asunder,  were 
tempted,  were  slain  with  the  sword."  The  holy 
Saviour  was  persecuted,  mocked,  condemned,  and 
by  wicked  hands  was  taken,  crucified  and  slain.  In 
this  world  the  wicked  are  often  greatly  prospered. 
Retribution  is  for  the  present  deferred,  but  it  cometh 
in  the  end.  The  feeling  of  responsibility, — every 
admonition  and  rebuke  of  conscience  implies  the 
idea  of  coming  retribution.  Thus  it  is  evident  both 
from  Scripture  and  reason,  that  there  will  be  a  day 
of  universal  judgment,   "ion  which    the  personal 


THE    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  49 

toiicerna  jf  ang-els  and  of  men  will  be  brought  to 
ihe  last  trial,  and  irreversibly  settled  forever." 

If.  I  am  to  notice  the  manner  of  Christ's  coming 
to  judgment. 

He  will  come  not  in  humiliation  ;  not  in  the  form 
of  a  servant ;  not  as  a  criminal  to  be  arraigned  be- 
fore a  human  judge;  but  in  sublime  and  awful 
splendor  ;  similar  it  may  be  to  his  appearance  to  St. 
John  in  vision.  Rev.  i.  12 — 16.  It  is  called  a 
glorious  appearing  :  "  Looking  for  that  blessed  hope 
and  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God,  and 
our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 

"  I  beheld,"  says  Daniel,  "  till  the  thrones  were 
cast  down,  and  the  Ancient  of  Days  did  sit,  w^hose 
garment  was  white  as  snow,  and  the  hair  of  his 
head  like  the  pure  wool:  his  throne  was  like  the 
fiery  flame,  and  his  wheels  as  burning  fire  ;  a  fiery 
stream  issued  and  came  forth  from  before  him  : 
thousand  thousands  ministered  unto  him,  and  ten 
thousand  times  ten  thousand  stood  before  him.  The 
judgment  was  set,  and  the  books  were  opened." 

But  the  most  impressive  and  sublime  idea  of  his 
appearance  is  given  in  Rev.  xx.  11:"  And  I  saw  a 
great  white  throne,  and  him  that  sat  on  it,  from 
whose  face  the  earth  and  the  heaven  fled  away ; 
and  there  was  found  no  place  for  them." 

"Triumphant  King  of  glory  !  soul  of  bliss  ! 
What  a  stupcudous  chungo  of  state  is  this'? 
0  !  whithtT  art  thou  raised  above  the  scoi-n 
And  indigence  of  Idni  in  Bethlehem  born. 
How  changed  from  him  who  meekly  prostrate  lard, 
Vouchsafed  to  wash  the  feet  himself  had  made. 
From  liun  who  was  betrayed,  forsook,  denied  ; 
Wept,  languish'd,  prayed,  bled,  thirsted,  groaned,  and 

died : 
Hung  pierced  and  bare,  insulted  by  the  foe, 
All  heaven  in  tears  above,  earth  unconcerned  below.'' 
5 


60  THE    COXI^■G    OF    CHRIST. 

Again.  The  time  when  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
shall  come  to  judge  the  world  is  known  only  to 
God ;  to  us  it  is  altogether  uncertain. 

It  is  written.  "  But  as  the  days  of  Noe  were,  so 
shal.  also  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  be.  For 
as  in  the  days  that  were  before  the  flood,  they  were 
eating  and  drinking,  marrying  and  giving  in  mar- 
riage, until  the  day  that  Noe  entered  the  ark  and 
knew  not  until  the  flood  came  and  took  them  all 
away,  so  shall  also  the  coming  of  the  Son  o^  jMin 
be." 

From  this  Scripture  we  learn  that  at  the  time 
Christ  shall  come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  the 
whole  world  will  be  sunk  in  carnal  sleep  and  se- 
curity. Men  will  be  lovers  of  pleasure  more  than 
lovers  of  God.  The  imaginations  of  the  thoughts 
of  their  hearts  will  be  evil  continually.  "  They 
will  be  a  world  of  scorners,"  who  will  insultingly 
cry,  '•  where  is  the  promise  of  his  coming,  for  since 
the  fathers  fell  asleep  all  things  continue  as  they 
were  from  the  beginning?"  Shortly  after  the  mil- 
lennium, or  immediately  it  may  be  after  the  expira- 
tion of  the  thousand  years,  "  Satan  will  be  loosed 
out  of  his  prison,  and  shall  go  out  to  deceive  the 
nations,  and  gather  them  together  to  battle,  the 
number  of  whom  shall  be  as  the  sand  upon  the 
sea-shore."  The  enmity  of  the  old  serpent  will 
again  be  revived :  human  nature  being  left  to  its 
natural  course  without  the  renewmg  influences  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  instigated  by  Satan  to  every 
species  of  iniquity,  the  world  in  a  short  time  will 
become  singularly  wicked.  As  it  was  before  the 
flood,  so  it  will  be  now  :  ''  All  flesh  had  corrupted 
before  God ;  and  it  repented  the  Lord  that  he  had 
made  man  on  the  earth,  and  it  grieved  him  at  the 
heart."    So  it  will  be  at  the  end  of  the  world.    The 


THE    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  51 

old  scenes  will  be  acted  over  again.  Religious 
wars  and  massacres  will  be  as  frequent  and  as  nat- 
ura.  as  ever.  ••  They  will  go  up  on  the  breadth  of 
the  earth,  and  compass  the  camp  of  the  saints  about 
and  the  beloved  city." 

"When  mankind  are  thus  ripened  for  destruc- 
tion, when  the  cup  of  their  iniquity  is  full  ;  when 
the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eye,  and  the 
pride  of  life,  will  have  gained  their  full  dominion 
over  the  human  race  ; — this  awful  day  will  come 
as  a  thief  in  the  night ;  in  the  which  the  heavens 
shall  pass  awaj^  with  a  great  noise  and  the  elements 
shall  melt  with  fervent  heat,  the  earth  also,  and  the 
works  that  are  therein  shall  be  burned  up." 

''At  midniglit,  ivlien  mankind  are  wrapt  in  peace ; 
When  worldly  fancy  feeds  on  golden  dreams: 
To  add  more  dre;\d  to  man's  most  dreadful  hour, 
At  midnight  'tis  presunaed  this  pomp  will  burst  upon 

the  world 
In  tenfold  darkness : 
Man  starting  from  his  couch  shall  sleep  no  more." 

The  ancient  Christians  believed  that  this  Scrip- 
ture, "  The  day  of  the  Lord  will  come  as  a  thief  in 
the  night,"  would  be  literally  accomplished.  Nor 
is  there  any  proof  that  the  interpretation  is  errone- 
ous. There  is  no  improbability  that  the  sun  which 
hid  his  face  at  the  crucifixion  of  the  Redeemer,  will 
again  retire  from  this  stupendous  scene ;  or  that  the 
moon  and  stars  will  withdraw  their  shining  and 
leave  the  world  in  deep  and  melancholy  darkness. 
In  this  case  the  morning  of  the  great  day  will  be 
ushered  in,  not  by  the  cheerful  twilight  spread  over 
the  mountains,  but  the  awful  approach  of  that  in- 
tense splendor  :  surrounded  by  which  the  Son  of 
God  will  descend ;  a  new  and  terrible  light  will  ap- 
pear  in  mid-heaven,  and   advancing   towards  the 


52  THE    COMING    OF    CHRIST. 

earta,  will  diffuse  such  a  moining  over  its  regions 
as  the  Universe  has  never  beheld,  and  will  never 
behold  again. 

"  Amazing  period !  when  each  mountain  top 
Out-burns  Vesuvius ;  rocks  eternal  pour 
Their  melted  mass,  as  rivers  once  they  poured : 
Stars  rush  :  and  final  ruin  fiercely  drives 
Her  ploughshare  o'er  creation." 

III.  I  am  to  notice  the  effects  of  Christ's  coming 
to  judgment. 

First.  Every  eye  shall  see  him.  It  is  called  in 
the  Bible,  "  a  revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment 
of  God."  In  this  world  his  glories  are  concealed. 
It  is  written,  "  He  shall  grow  up  before  him  as  a 
tender  plant,  and  as  a  root  out  of  dry  ground ;  he 
hath  no  form  nor  comeliness  ;  and  when  we  shall 
see  him  there  is  no  beauty  that  we  should  desire 
him." 

When  the  Word  was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  among 
men,  he  was  possessed  of  the  glories  of  the  God- 
head, but  few  had  eyes  to  behold  his  glory.  To  a 
gay  and  thoughtless  world  his  glories  were  con- 
cealed under  the  veil  of  his  humanity.  And  al- 
though he  gave  full  proof  of  the  Divinity  of  his  na- 
ture by  his  works,  and  the  power  and  authority  of 
his  doctrines,  yet  all  was  lost  upon  them  from  the 
consideration  of  his  low  and  obscure  birth.  But 
when  he  cometh  with  clouds,  every  eye  shall  be- 
hold the  matchless  glories  of  his  person.  To  him 
every  knee  shall  bow,  and  every  tongue  confess. 
His  enemies  shall  fly  from  his  sight  in  vain. 

Those  who  pierced  him  will  be  there  ;  they  also 
shall  see  him.  Herod  with  his  men  of  war,  who 
get  him  at  naught ;  Caiaphas  who  smote  him  on  the 
eheek ;  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  who  stood  and 


THE    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  53 

vehemently  accused  him.  The  muhitude  who 
cried  "  crucify  him,  crucify  him."  The  soldiers 
who,  bowed  the  knee  before  him  and  mocked  him, 
*;aying,  "hail,  king  of  the  Jews,"  these  all  shall  see 
nirn  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power 
and  great  glory. 

Secondly.     They  shall  wail  because  of  him. 

They  will  do  this  because  of  the  discoveries  that 
shall  be  made  at  Christ's  coming.  Here  the  eye 
of  the  aduherer  waiteth  for  the  evening,  the  black 
and  dark  night,  saying,  "  no  eye  shall  see  me."  At 
that  day  his  deeds  of  darkness  shall  be  brought  to 
light,  and  the  councils  of  his  heart  be  made  man- 
ifest. 

Here,  the  assassin  lurks  behind  the  curtain  of 
night,  and  secretly  slays  the  innocent.  There,  the 
cry  of  innocent  blood  shall  testify  against  him. 
Here,  the  wicke.d  plotteth  against  the  just.  There, 
the  cruel  policy  of  the  enemies  of  the  cross;  their 
cunning  craftiness  whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  de- 
ceive, shall  be  slript  of  their  covering,  for  with 
God  notliing  is  impossible.  The  thoughts  of  every 
heart  in  that  day  shall  be  revealed  ;  "  For  God  shall 
bring  every  work  into  judgment  with  every  secret 
thing,  whether  it  be  good  or  whether  it  be  evil." 
Here  the  workers  of  iniquity  do  often  hide  them- 
selves from  the  scrutiny  of  the  most  discerning  eye; 
from  such  the  discoveries  of  that  day  will  extort  the 
cry  of  agony  and  despair.  How  will  they  weep 
and  howl  when  their  miseries  shall  come  upon 
them. 

Thirdly.  'I'hey  shall  wail  because  of  the  sepa- 
rations that  shall  take  place. 

The  associations  of  earth  shall  forever  be  dis- 
solved. Oh,  in  how  many  instances  parents  and 
children,  brothers  and  sisters,  husbands  and  wives 
5* 


54  THE    COMING    OF    CHRIST. 

will  meet  for  the  last  time.  At  the  judoment  the 
counsels,  the  warnings,  the  entreaties,  the  affection- 
ate expostulations  of  a  pious  father  or  mother  will 
be  heard  no  more. 

Those  children  who  disregard  the  admonitions 
of  their  parents,  and  live  in  neglect  of  the  great  sal- 
vation, little  know  the  sorrow  of  heart  they  occa- 
sion. They  little  know  the  prayerful  and  tearfu' 
solicitude  of  a  mother  especially  on  their  behalf. 
But  at  the  judgment  the  prayer  of  agony,  "  O  Je 
sus,  have  mercy  on  my  wayward  son  ;  my  vain  and 
thoughtless  daughter,"  will  be  made  no  more. 

Brothers  and  sisters  also,  mutually  and  unspeak- 
ably beloved  here,  and  such  of  them  as  were  de- 
voted to  sin,  warned,  reproved,  and  borne  to  hea- 
ven on  the  wings  of  prayer  by  those  who  conse- 
crated themselves  to  God,  will  be  parted  asunder 
to  meet  no  more.  Most  distressing  of  all ;  husbands 
and  wives  here  united  in  the  nearest  of  all  earthly 
relations,  and  the  tenderest  of  all  earthly  attach- 
ments, will  there  not  unfrequently  be  seated,  one  on 
the  right  hand  and  the  other  on  the  left.  One  will 
ascend  with  the  Judge  to  the  world  of  glory,  and 
the  other,  lost  in  the  host  of  evil  beings,  go  down 
to  the  regions  of  despair.  One  will  advance  in  wis 
dom,  worth  and  joy  throughout  endless  ages  ;  the 
other  make  a  dreadful  and  melancholy  progress  in 
guilt  and  sorrow  forever. 

Fourthly.  The  wicked  shall  wail  because  of  the 
eternity  of  the  punishment  to  be  inflicted. 

It  is  written,  "  And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in 
the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to  everlast- 
ing life,  and  some  to  shame  and  everlasting  con- 
tempt." Now,  the  despisers  of  God's  grace  will 
mourn  over  their  irrecoverable  opportunities.  The 
Babbath-breaker  will  sigh  in  vain  for  the  return  0/ 


THE    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  55 

ihe  accepted  time.  The  swearer  will  find  that  it  is 
an  evil  and  bitter  thing  to  sin  against  the  Lord,  and 
to  take  his  holy  name  in  vain.  Eternity  !  Eter- 
nity !  this  completes  the  sinner's  misery.  '•  Could 
a  lost  soul  shed  but  one  tear,  once  in  ten  thousand 
years,  and  do  this  until  a  sea  as  vast  as  all  the  seas 
on  the  earth  together  were  filled  with  tears  :  all  his 
sufferings,  in  that  long  period,  would  be  the  begin- 
ning of  eternal  misery.''  Ah  !  the  thought  that  the 
soul  is  lost,  forever  lost,  will  come,  -  Wailing,  wailing, 
wailing,  at  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ.''  Notwith- 
standing" this  deep  and  dreadful  anguish,  the  sinner 
will  find  no  place  of  repentance  in  God.  When 
on  earth  he  insulted  his  mercy:  abused  his  good- 
ness, grieved  his  Spirit,  and  rejected  his  Son.  NoWj^ 
all  is  lost.  Methinks  t  hear  his  groans:  I  see  the 
anguish  of  his  spirit,  while  he  remembers  all  that 
has  passed  on  earth  and  looks  forward  to  that  which 
is  before  him  in  eternity.  We  may  anticipate  his 
reflections. 

I  once  enjoyed  Sabbaths  and  sanctuary  privileges 
The  day  of  the  Lord  often  returned  to  visit  my 
guilty,  thoughtless  soul,  with  its  reviving  beams. 
It  seemed  to  invite  me  to  return  to  God,  that  I  might 
live.  But  alas  !  I  disregarded  its  silent,  yet  solemn 
admonitions.  I  indulged  in  vain  and  wicked 
thoughts  and  conversation,  and  found  my  own 
pleasure  on  that  holy  day.  Those  Sabbaths  and 
ganctuary  privileges  will  return  to  me  no  more.  No 
more  will  the  offer  of  salvation  through  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  be  made  to  me.  No  more  will  Al- 
mighty God  regard  the  anguish  of  my  spirit,  or 
lend  an  ear  to  my  prayer  for  mercy.  I  once  heard 
the  voice  of  his  word,  saying.  ••  Turn  ye,  turn  ye, 
for  why  will  ye  die  ?"  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth 
eome  to  the  waters  and  drink."  But  I  set  at  naughJ 


56  THE    COK.NG    OF    CHRIST. 

all  his  counsel,  and  would  none  of  his  reproof. 
Now,  "  God  laughs  at  my  calamity,  and  mocks  at 
the  coming  of  my  fear.  My  fear  has  come  as  des- 
olation, and  my  destruction  as  a  whirlwind  ;  distress 
and  anguish  have  come  upon  me."  I  call  upon 
him  but  he  will  not  answer ;  I  seek  him,  but  I  can- 
not find  him.  While  in  time,  I  hated  instruction, 
and  did  not  choose  the  fear  of  the  Lord :  now,  I 
must  eat  of  the  fruit  of  my  own  way  and  be  filled 
with  my  own  devices.  The  harvest  season  of  life 
is  past,  and  I  am  not  saved !  I  shall  no  more  hear 
the  voice  of  Christian  kindness  inviting  me  to  go 
with  the  people  of  God  to  their  everlasting  abode. 
In  yonder  world  I  see  them  tuning  their  harps  of 
gold,  and  singing  the  anthems  of  redemption.  When 
on  earth  I  was  told  in  the  Bible,  there  would  be 
"  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  when  ye  shall 
see  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  ye  yourselves  thrust 
out."  I  did  not  believe  it  theti^  but  I  feel  it  now. 
"  What  shall  I  give  in  exchange  for  my  soul  V 

Dear  reader,  is  not  this  deep  anguish  ?  is  not  this 
the  endurance  of  God's  wrath  ?  And  now  if  you 
are  in  the  broad  way  to  death,  let  me  entreat  you 
to  stop  and  reflect  before  you  are  eternally  lost.  Let 
the  gay  and  thoughtless  youth;  the  worldly  mind- 
ed ;  the  formalist,  the  careless  and  dissipated  remem- 
ber that  the  end  of  these  things  is  death.  Let  such 
be  awakened  to  activity  and  diligence  in  the  work 
of  salvation,  from  the  thrilling  conviction  that  Tum 
is  the  accepted  time,  noiv  is  the  day  of  salvation  I 
Reflect  before  you  die. 

Stop,  poor  sinners,  stop  and  think, 

Before  you  further  go  ; 
Will  you  sport  upon  the  brink 

Of  everlasting  wo  l 


THE    C031I.\G    OF    CHRIST.  57 

On  the  verge  of  ruin  stop — 

Now  the  friendly  warning  take- 
Stay  your  footsteps,  ere  you  drop 
Into  the  burning  lake. 

"  All  those  expostulations  which  are  given  you 
sabbath  after  sabbath,  are  designed  to  prevent  the 
loss  of  the  soul.  The  holy  hours  of  that  day  in 
which  God  commands  you  to  meet  him  in  his  sanc- 
tuary are  occupied  Avith  messages  of  grace  that  you 
may  not  wail  at  the  coming  of  Christ  in  the  clouds 
of  heaven.  All  those  doctrines  which  unfold  the 
plan  of  redemption,  are  intended  to  search  the  heart, 
and  lead  you  to  seek  your  eternal  salvation.  Every- 
thijig  bears  upon  the  great  subject  we  have  been 
considering."  And  now,  dear  reader,  what  will  you 
do  ?  will  you  throw  aside  this  book,  and  dismiss 
every  thought  of  death,  judgment  and  eternity  ?  or 
will  you  think  on  your  end, 

— '■  nor  thoughtless  say, 
I'll  put  far  off  the  evil  day !" 

Fellow-men,  by  all  that  is  joyful  in  the  anticipa" 
tions  of  a  blessed  immortality,  or  fearful  in  the  pros- 
pect and  certainty  of  future  wo ;  I  beseech  you  to 
prepare  to  meet  your  God.  Let  a  portion  of  each 
day  ])e  employed  in  making  provision  for  your 
soul.  Will  you  lose  it  f  will  you  barter  it  for  a 
thing  of  naught ;  sell  your  soul  for  worldly  honor, 
or  profit,  or  pleasure  ?  What  folly  can  compare 
with  this  folly  ;  what  madness  with  this  madness? 
Must  Christ  plead  and  expostulate  in  vain  1  Must 
his  tears  fall  and  his  life  be  poured  upon  the  ground 
in  vain  as  to  you?  Must  that  immaterial  spirit, 
your  soul,  linger  in  eternal  night,  because  you  wiii 
not  improve  the  day  of  your  opportunities?  How 
can  I  leave  any  of  the  readers  of  this  book  to  pur* 


58  THE    COMING    OF    CHRIS    . 

sue  the  downward  road  to  death.  How  can  I  bear 
the  thought  of  their  wailing  at  the  coming  of  Christ  • 
of  their  being  separated  from  the  righteous,  and 
placed  at  the  left  hand  of  the  judgment  seat ;  there 
to  hear  their  doom,  and  weep  and  wail,  because  of 
the  eternity  of  the  punishment  to  be  inflicted. 

"  A  wretch  that  is  condemned  to  die  to-morrow 
cannot  forget  it :  and  yet  poor  sinners  that  contin- 
ually are  uncertain  to  live  an  hour,  and  certam 
speedily  to  see  the  majesty  of  the  Lord  to  their  in- 
conceivable joy  or  terror,  as  sure  as  they  now  live 
on  earth,  can  forget  these  things  for  which  they 
have  their  memory ;  and  which  one  would  think, 
should  drown  the  matters  of  this  world  as  the  re- 
port of  a  cannon  does  a  whisper,  or  as  the  sun  ob- 
scures the  poorest  glow-worm.  Oh,  wonderful  fol- 
ly, and  distractedness  of  the  ungodly  !  that  ever 
men  can  forget,  I  say  again,  that  they  can  forget 
eternal  joy, — eternal  wo, — and  the  eternal  God, — 
and  the  place  of  their  eternal  unchangeable  abode, 
when  they  stand  even  at  the  door  : — and  there  is 
but  a  thin  veil  of  flesh  between  them  and  that  ama- 
zing sight, — that  eternal  gulf,  and  they  are  daily 
dying  and  stepping  in." 

See  the  Eternal  Judge  descending —  « 

View  him  seated  on  his  throne ! 
Now,  poor  sinner,  now  kmenting, 

Stand  and  hear  thy  awful  doom — 
Trumpets  call  thee ! 
Stand  and  hear  thy  awful  doom. 

Hear  the  cries  he  now  is  venting, 
Fill'd  with  dread  of  fiercer  pain; 

While  in  anguish  thus  lamenting, 
That  he  ne'er  was  born  again : 
Greatly  mourning, 

That  he  ne'er  was  born  again. 


THE    WAGES    OF    SIN.  59 

Yonder  sits  my  slighted  Saviour, 

With  the  marks  of  dying  love ; 
Oh  !  that  I  had  sought  his  favor, 

When  I  felt  his  spirit  move — 
Golden  moments, 
When  I  felt  his  spirit  move. 

Now,  despisers,  look  and  wonder ! 

Hope  and  sinners  here  must  part, 
Louder  than  a  peal  of  thunder, 

Hear  the  dreadful  sound,  '  Depart 
Lost  forever, 
Hear  the  dreadful  sound,  '  Depart.' 


THE  WAGES  OF  SIN. 

"  The  wages  of  sin  is  death." — Romans  vi.  23. 

The  Apostle  in  these  words  suggests  to  us  the 
character  and  reward  of  sin.  In  places  where  the 
Gospel  is  preached  and  the  Bible  read,  there  tire 
but  few  whose  consciences  are  not  on  the  side  of  re- 
ligion. Hard  must  be  that  heart,  and  blinded  the 
mind,  that  does  not  acknowledge  the  divinity  of  the 
word  of  God  which  hath  brought  "  life  and  immor- 
tality to  light ;"  and  tremble  at  the  denunciations 
of  wrath  against  the  finally  impenitent.  Yet  there 
are  those  who 

'•  Sport  upon  the  brink  of  everlasting  woe," 

who  live  without  God,  and  descend  into  the  grave 
without  hope. 

The  Psalmist  most  forcibly  describes  he  life  and 
death  of  those  who  are  carnal,  sold  under  sm. 
"  There  are  no  bonds  in  their  death  :  but   their 


60  THE    WAGES    OF    SIN. 

Strength  is  firm.  They  are  corrupt  and  speak  wick- 
edly concerning  oppression,  they  speak  loftily,  thoy 
set  their  mouth  against  the  heavens,  and  their 
tongue  walketh  through  the  earth." 

'•'  But  0  their  end,  their  dreadful  ond." 

"  HoAV  are  they  brought  into  desolation,  as  in  a  mo- 
ment, they  are  utterly  consumed  with  terror." 

The  text  leads  me  to  remark, 

First.     That  sin  is  an  absolute  master. 

This  is  manifest  from  the  experience  of  nations 
and  individuals  in  every  age  of  the  world.  What 
else  could  have  induced  our  first  parents  to  hide 
themselves  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  God, 
when  they  had  previously  enjoyed  such  sweet  com- 
munion with  him  1 

If  sin  had  not  had  dominion  over  them,  they 
would  honestly  have  confessed  their  fault  and  asked 
forgiveness.  But  instead  of  this,  they  cast  the  blame 
of  eating  the  forbidden  fruit  upon  God  and  the  ser- 
pent. If  sin  had  not  had  dominion  over  Cain,  he 
would  never  have  slain  his  brother.  The  old 
world  would  never  have  been  swept  away  with  a 
flood  of  waters,  if  '-  all  flesh  had  not  corrupted  its 
way  before  God,"  On  this  principle  alone  can  we 
account  for  the  prevalence  of  idolatry  among  man- 
kind. '•  Because,  when  they  knew  God,  they  glo- 
rified him  not  as  God,  neither  were  thankful,  but 
became  vain  in  their  imaginations,  and  their  foolish 
heart  was  darkened. 

"  Professing  themselves  to  be  wise,  they  became 
fools ;  and  changed  the  glory  of  the  incorruptible 
God  into  an  image  made  like  to  corruptible  man, 
'md  to  birds,  and  four-footed  beasts,  and  creeping 
things.     They  changed  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie, 


THE    WAGES    OF    SIN.  61 

and  worshipped  and  served  the  creature  more  than 
the  Creatbr,  who  is  God  over  all  blessed  forever." 
Rom.  i. 

The  dominion  of  sin  over  the  mind  of  man  while 
in  a  natural  state,  is  strikingly  exhibited  in  the 
written  word.  John  viii.  34  :  "  Jesus  answered 
them,  verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  whosoever  com- 
mitteth  sin  is  the  servant  of  sin.  Know  ye  not,  that 
to  whom  ye  yield  yourselves  servants  to  obey,  his 
servants  ye  are  to  whom  ye  obey  ?" 

Another  evidence  of  this  truth  is,  an  almost  uni- 
versal acknowledgment  on  the  part  of  the  misera- 
ble slave  of  sin,  that  the  corruptions  of  his  heart  are 
so  strong,  that  neither  the  alluring  joys  of  heaven, 
nor  the  appalling  terrors  of  hell,  can  deter  him  from 
the  commission  of  those  crimes  which  he  knows 
will  terminate  in  death.  It  is  true  a  speculative 
knowledge  of  the  Scriptures  may  be  obtained,  yet 
while  the  mind  remains  unrenewed  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  ail  is  dark  ;  the  understanding,  the  will,  the 
conscience,  the  affections,  all,  all  are  deranged.  It 
is  a  soul  in  ruins,  under  the  dominion  of  the  "  god 
of  this  world ;"  led  captive  by  Satan  at  his  will. 

Secondly.     Sin  is  a  hard  master. 

Christians  who  have  been  brought  out  of  dark- 
ness into  God's  marvellous  light,  still  are  burdened 
with  sin  ;  and  often  w.i'h  the  Apostle  exclaim,  "  O 
wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver  me  from 
the  body  of  this  death  ?"  And  although  they  are 
delivered  from  the  power  and  dominion  of  sin,  yet 
lliey  have  reason  daily  to  exclaim,  "  O  Ijord,  pardon 
my  iniquity,  for  it  is  great."  If  this  is  true  of  real 
Christians,  what  must  be  the  condition  of  the  im- 
penitent ? 

Is  the  rich  worldling  free,  who  has  all  that  heart 
can  def'^*^^  who  is  "clothed  in  purple  and  iino 
6 


62  .  THE    WAGES    OF    SIN. 

linen,  and  fares  sumptuously  every  day?"  It  is 
granted  that  he  can,  and  does  sing  the  requiem  to 
his  heart,  "soul  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for 
many  years,  take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be 
merry."  He  may  delight  himself  in  the  magnifi- 
cence of  his  earthly  mansions,  and  in  the  pride  of 
his  heart  say,  "  Is  not  this  great  Babylon  that  I 
have  built,  for  the  house  of  my  kingdom,  by  the 
might  of  my  power,  and  the  honor  of  my  majesty?-'' 
While  the  word  is  in  his  mouth,  a  voice  may  be 
heard,  saying,  "  this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  re- 
quired of  thee." 

"  Millions  of  money  for  one  inch  of  time,"  cried 
Elizabeth,  the  gifted,  but  ambitious  Q,ueen  of  Eng- 
land, when  upon  her  dying  bed.  Unhappy  wo- 
man !  reclining  upon  a  royal  couch,  with  ten  thou- 
sand dresses  in  her  wardrobe,  a  kingidom  on  which 
the  sun  never  sets  at  her  feet,  all  now  are  value- 
less, and  she  shrieks  in  anguish,  and  shrieks  in 
vain,  for  a  single  inch  of  time.  Like  too  many  of 
us,  she  had  so  devoted  them  to  wealth,  to  pleasure, 
to  pride  and  ambition,  that  her  whole  preparation 
for  eternity  was  crowded  into  her  final  moments  : 
and  hence  she,  who  had  wasted  more  than  half  a 
century,  would  barter  millions  for  one  inch  of 
time."  What  a  sad  and  awful  illustration  of  the 
truth  of  my  position,  that  sin  is  a  hard  master  ! 

Agai?i.     Is  the  man  of  business  free? 

It  is  true  he  may  prosper  in  his  worldly  concerns; 
every  gale  may  seem  propitious  for  the  accumula- 
tion of  wealth.  His  family  may  flourish  around 
him.  He  looks  forward  a  few  years  and  imagines 
himself  retired  from  business  with  a  fullness  of  this 
world's  goods,  and  his  sons  travelling  the  same  pros- 
perous road  to  wealth  and  to  honor.  But  behold 
the  scene  is  changed  ;  death  is  commissioned  to  en 


THE    WAGES    OF    SIN.  63 

ter  his  dwelling,  and  take  for  his  victim,  it  may  be, 
an  only  daughter.  The  darling  of  his  heart  but 
yesterday  was  seated  by  his  side,  in  health  and 
strength,  and  now  she  sleeps  the  sleep  of  death. 
She  shall  not  awake  "  till  the  heavens  be  no 
more." 

Or  it  may  be,  while  all  around  is  peace  and  pros* 
perity,  the  fires  of  remorse  are  kindling  in  his  bO' 
som  ;  he  even  now  feels  the  sting  of  the  worm  that 
never  dies,  and  the  scorchings  of  that  fire  that  never 
shall  be  quenched. 

"  It  is  related  that  the  honorable  Francis  Newport 
was  favored  with  a  religious  education,  afterwards 
became  altogether  careless  of  religion,  and  died  in 
the  following  awful  manner.  At  one  time  looking 
towards  the  fire,  he  said,  "  Oh  !  that  I  were  to  live 
and  broil  upon  that  fire  for  a  thousand  years,  to 
purchase  the  favor  of  God,  and  be  reconciled  to 
Him  again  !  but  it  is  a  fruitless,  vain  wish  ;  millions 
of  millions  of  years,  will  bring  me  no  nearer  the 
end  of  my  tortures,  than  one  poor  hour.  O,  eter- 
nity! eternity!  who  can  properly  paraphrase  upon 
the  words — forever  and  ever  ?"  In  this  kind  of 
strain  he  went  on,  till  his  dissolution  approached  ; 
when  with  a  groan  so  dreadful,  and  loud,  as  if  it 
had  been  more  than  human,  he  cried  out,  "  Oh ! 
the  insufferable  pangs  of  hell  and  damnation !"  and 
so  died. 

Another  person,  who  was  a  gay  and  thoughtless 
lover  of  the  world,  uttered  the  following,  among 
other  expressions  in  his  dying  hours  :  "  O  !  that  I 
had  been  wise,  that  I  had  known  this,  that  I  had 
con.  idered  my  latter  end.  Death  is  knocking  at 
my  door.  In  a  few  hours  more,  I  shall  draw  my 
last  gasp  ;  and  then  judgment,  the  tremendous  judg 
ment !     How  shall  I  appear,  unprepared  as   1  am 


64  THE    WAGES    OF    SIN. 

before  the  all-knowing  and  omnipotent  God  ?  How 
shall  I  endure  the  day  of  His  coming  ?  O !  that 
holiness  is  the  only  thing  I  now  long  for.  I  would 
gladly  part  with  all  my  estate,  large  as  it  is,  or  a 
world,  to  obtain  it.  Now  my  benighted  eyes  are 
enlightened.  What  is  there  in  the  place  whither  I 
am  going,  but  God  ?  Or  what  is  there  to  be  de- 
sired on  earth,  but  religion  1  The  day  in  which  1 
should  have  worked  is  over  and  gone,  and  I  see  a 
horrible  night  approaching,  bringing  with  it  the 
blackness  of  darkness  forever.  Wo  is  me  ;  here- 
tofore when  God  called,  I  refused ;  when  he  in- 
vited, I  was  one  of  them  that  made  excuse.  Now  I 
receive  the  reward  of  my  deeds ;  fearfulness  and 
trembling  are  come  upon  me  ;  and  yet  this  is  but 
the  beginning  of  sorrows !  It  doth  not  yet  appear 
what  I  shall  be  ;  but  sure  I  shall  be  ruined,  un- 
done, and  destroyed,  with  an  everlasting  destruc- 
tion." Is  the  man  of  pleasure  free  ?  No,  no  ;  al- 
though he  may  feel  himself  safe  and  happy  while 
his  head  is  pillowed  on  the  lap  of  sensual  enjoy- 
ment, there  are  moments  when,  if  he  is  not  given 
over  to  hardness  of  heart,  and  blindness  of  mind, 
he  feels  that  the  house  of  the  harlot  is  the  way  to 
hell,  going  down  to  the  chambers  of  death. 

The  author  of  the  "  Night  Thoughts,"  (Doctor 
Young,)  describing  the  last  hours  of  one  who  was 
once  esteemed  a  man  of  pleasure,  states,  "  refusing 
to  hear  anything  from  me,  he  lay  silent,  as  far  as 
sudden  darts  of  pain  would  permit,  till  the  clock 
struck.  Then  with  vehemence  exclaimed,  'Otime, 
time !  it  is  fit  thou  shouldst  thus  strike  thy  murde- 
rer to  the  heart.  How  art  thou  fled  forever  !  A 
month  !  O  for  a  single  week  !  I  ask  not  for  years; 
though  an  age  were  too  little  for  the  much  I  have 
to  do.'     On  my  saying  we  could  not  do  too  much; 


THE    WAGES    OF    SIN.  OO 

that  heaven  was  a  blessed  place, — ••  So  much  the 
worse.  'Tis  lost !  'tis  lost — Heaven  is  to  me  the  se- 
verest part  of  hell !'  Soon  after  I  proposed  prayer. 
'  Pray  you  that  can.  I  never  prayed.  I  cannot 
pray, — nor  need  I.  Is  not  heaven  on  my  side  aL 
ready  ?  It  closes  with  my  conscience.  Its  severest 
strokes  but  second  my  own.'  To  a  friend  standing 
by,  he  said :  '  Remorse  for  the  past  throws  my 
thoughts  on  the  future.  Worse  dread  of  the  fu- 
ture strikes  them  back  on  the  past.  I  turn,  and 
turn,  and  find  no  ray.  Didst  thou  feel  half  the  moun- 
tain that  is  on  me,  thou  wouldst  struggle  with  the 
martyr  for  his  slake,  and  bless  heaven  for  the  flames  : 
— that  is  not  an  everlasting  flame  :  that  is  not  an 
unquenchable  fire.'  He  afterwards  exclaimed,  '  O 
thou  blasphemed,  yet  most  indulgent,  Lord  God  ! 
Hell  itself  is  a  refuge,  if  it  hide  me  from  thy 
frown.'  " 

Is  the  ambitious  man  more  free  ?  We  will  suppose 
him  to  have  waded  through  rivers  of  blood  to  obtain 
among  men  the  name  of  a  mighty  conqueror ;  is  he 
satisfied  ?  Let  the  confessions  and  violent  deaths 
of  many  of  the  most  successful  warriors  and  re- 
nowned statesmen  that  have  ever  lived,  answer  the 
question.  Said  one  of  them  when  his  competitor 
fell  down  dead  at  the  canvass,  "  What  shadows  we 
are,  what  shadows  we  pursue." 

Men  of  no  class  or  condition  in  life,  while  in  an 
impenitent  state,  are  free.  Though  sometimes  the 
ways  of  irreligion  may  yield  a  short  tliough  guilty 
pleasure,  yet  often  worldly  delights  are  bitterness  in 
the  pursuit  as  well  as  in  the  end.  "  The  sinner 
pursues  them  for  happmess,  and  yet  is  not  happy." 
A.  young  friend  who  had  long  trifled  with  religion, 
thus  to  a  near  relation  expressed  her  feelings :  '•  •  The 
wjcked  are  like  the  troubled  sea,  they  cannot  rest ; 
6* 


66  THE    WAGES    01    SIN. 

and  do  I  not  daily  experience  the  truth  of  this  as- 
sertion? If  my  present  course  yielded  me  any 
pleasure,  then  my  folly  might  be  in  some  measure 
excusable,  but  it  yields  none  ;  for  the  threatenings 
of  God's  word^  the  affectionate  warnings  of  my  pa- 
rents, and  the  stings  of  my  own  conscience,  continu- 
ally conspire  to  blunt  the  edge  of  worldly  enjoy- 
ments, and  leave  me  indeed  a  miserable  creature. 
Reflection  I  cannot  bear.  Oh,  no !  for  then  indeed 
I  feel  the  agonies  of  a  guilty,  accusing  conscience. 
I  know,  I  feel  that  I  shall  never  have  a  peaceful 
mind,  never  taste  real  bliss,  till  I  from  the  heart 
give  up  the  world  ;  till  I  from  the  heart  embrace 
real  religion.  I  have  drunk  the  cup  of  worldly  plea- 
sure, and  for  its  amusements  slighted  my  Saviour, 
and  neglected  my  own  soul.  And  what  have  I 
gained  ?  Nothing — but  I  have  drawn  sighs  from 
the  hearts,  and  tears  from  the  eyes  of  those  whom 
it  ought  to  be  my  study  to  render  happy ;  offended 
God  ;  done  despite  to  the  spirit  of  his  grace ;  tram- 
pled on  the  blood  of  the  Saviour,  and  undone  my 
soul !  And  with  a  consciousness  of  this,  can  I  ever 
be  happy?  No.  I  know  by  experience  that  the 
'  way  of  transgressors  is  hard.'  " 

The  empire  of  evil  in  the  soul,  strengthens  with 
age  and  indulgence.  The  sinner  is  ignorant  of  his 
situation.  He  does  not  consider  that  his  "  foot  shall 
sHde  in  due  time.''  He  hugs  his  chains ;  conscience 
remonstrates ;  the  Spirit  of  God  alarms  his  fears, 
as  he  did  in  the  case  of  Belshazzar,  and  Judas  and 
Felix  ;  he  trembles  and  struggles  it  may  be  for  lib- 
erty and  pardon,  but  in  vain.  The  world  has  too 
many  allurements  ;  its  friendships  are  too  strong. 
Sin  is  a  usurper.  Ever  since  the  fall  it  has  had  do* 
m'nioD  over  the  children  of  men. 


THE    WAGES    OF    SIN.  67 

Secondly.  The  text  reveals  to  us  the  rewara.  the 
wages  of  sin. 

What  may  with  perfect  propriety  be  expected, 
and  demanded,  and  what  the  Almighty  who  has 
declared  himself  to  be  the  faithful  and  true  wit- 
ness, has  most  solemnly  and  unequivocally  atfirmed 
shall  be  the  reward,  is  doath.  Death  is  a  word  of 
fearful  import.  In  our  text  it  refers  to  eternal  pun- 
ishment, as  it  is  contrasted  in  the  same  verse  with 
eternal  life.  ''  For  the  wages  of  sin  is  death.  But 
the  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life,  through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord." 

This  however  is  not  all.  We  experience  the 
punishments  of  sin  in  this  life,  which  are  either  in- 
ward, as  blindness  of  mind,  "  Having  the  under- 
standing darkened,  being  alienated  from  the  life  of 
God  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in  them,  because 
of  the  blindness  of  their  heart.'' 

A  reprobate  sense  is  another  consequence  of  sin. 
Rom.  i  &c.  "  And  even  as  '.hey  did  not  like  to  re- 
tain God  in  their  knowledge,  God  gave  them  over 
to  a  reprobate  mind,  to  do  those  things  which  are 
not  convenient :  being  filled  with  all  unrighteous- 
ness, fornication,  wickedness,  covetousness,  mali- 
ciousness; full  of  envy,  murder,  debate,  deceit,  ma- 
lignity :  whisperers,  backbiters,  haters  of  God,  de- 
spiteful, proud,  boasters,  inventors  of  evil  things, 
disobedient  to  parents,  without  understanding,  cove- 
nant-breakers, without  natural  affection,  implacable, 
unmerciful." 

We  also  see  men  under  strong  delusion.  2  Thess. 
ii.  11.  "  And  for  this  cause  God  shall  send  them 
strong  delusions,  that  they  should  believe  a  lie ;  that 
they  all  might  be  damned  who  believe  not  the 
truth,  but  had  pleasure  in  unrighteousness." 

Hardness  of  heart  is  another  punishment  God 


68  THE    WAGES    C£    SIN. 

inflicts  in  this  life  in  consequence  of  sin.  Rom. 
ii.  5.  "  But  after  thy  hardness  and  impenitent  heart, 
treasurest  up  unto  thyself  wrath  against  the  day  of 
wrath,  and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of 
God." 

Ho'^ror  of  conscience  is  another.  Isa.  xxxiii.  14. 
"  The  sinners  in  Zion  are  afraid :  fearfulness  hath 
surprised  the  hypocrites.  Who  among  us  shall 
dwell  with  devouring  fire?  Who  among  us  shall 
dwell  with  everlastino-  burninors?'' 

Or  these  punishments  are  outward  ;  as  the  curse 
of  God  upon  the  creatures,  for  our  sakes,  and  all 
other  evils  that  befall  the  sons  and  daughters  of 
men,  in  then*  bodies,  names,  estates,  relations  and 
employments.  Shall  I  enumerate  a  few  of  these 
curses?  Deut.  xxviii.  15 — 20.  "But  it  shall  come 
to  pass  if  thou  wilt  not  hearken  unto  the  voice  of 
the  Lord  thy  God,  to  observe  to  do  all  his  com- 
mandments, and  his  statutes  which  I  command 
thee  this  day :  that  all  these  curses  shall  come  upon 
thee  and  overtake  thee  : 

"  Cursed  shalt  thou  be  m  the  city,  and  cursed  shalt 
thou  be  in  the  field.  Cursed  shall  be  thy  basket 
and  thy  store.  Cursed  shall  be  the  fruit  of  thy 
body,  and  the  fruit  of  thy  land  ;  the  increase  of  thy 
kine,  and  the  flocks  of  thy  sheep.  Cursed  shalt 
thou  be  when  thou  comest  in,  and  cursed  shalt  thou 
be  when  thou  goest  out."' 

Alas!  how  long  and  how  broad  is  this  curse 
Who  can  tell  the  import  of  thi^  Scripture:  "  The 
wages  of  sin  ;"s  death  ?"  We  have  seen  that  it  is 
connected  with  misery  m  this  life.  Sin  is  like 
EzekiePs  roll,  written  within  and  without,  with 
weeping,  lamentation  and  wo.  Pain  and  sickness 
are  its  immediate  results.  A  youth  of  excess  and 
indulgence  brings  an  old  age  of  misery.     Sin  sows 


THE    WAGES    OF    SIN.  69 

the  seeds  of  death.  More  lives  are  sacrificed  to  the 
pleasures  and  dissipations  of  siri,  than  in  the  field 
of  battle.  The  drunkard,  how  he  dies !  The  man 
of  pleasure,  and  all  the  sons  and  daughters  of  dis 
sipation,  how  they  die  !  Every  day's  experience  is 
a  striking  comment  on  the  words  of  the  text,  "The 
wages  of  sin  is  death." 

But  in  the  world  to  come  we  are  to  look  for  a 
full  reward  of  sin. 

Let  us  look  at  the  nature^  degree  and  duraiion  cf 
this  punishment  or  reward. 

First.  Departure  from  God,  that  is.  from  the 
comforting,  supporting  presence  of  God.  Heaven 
is  said  to  be  the  habitation  of  his  holiness.  There 
nothing  unclean  can  enter.  Blessed,  forever  bless- 
ed, are  all  they  who  shall  be  permitted  to  sing  the 
"  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb."  God's  comforting, 
supporting  presence  is  life,  and  his  loving-kindness 
is  better  than  life.  To  the  Christian  he  is  all  in 
all.  He  is  all  his  salvation,  and  all  his  desire.  We 
may  form  some  estimate  of  the  happiness  of  Hea- 
ven, by  the  joys  which  Christians  have  experienced 
in  this  world,  which  have  often  been  "  unspeaka- 
ble and  full  of  glory."  Said  the  Psalmist,  when 
meditating  on  this  subject,  "  Whom  have  I  in  hea- 
ven but  thee,  and  there  is  none  on  earth  that  I  de- 
sire besides  thee  ;  my  flesh  and  my  heart  fail  me, 
but  God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart  and  my  por- 
tion forever."  "  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard, 
nor  the  heart  of  man  conceived  the  joys  that  are 
laid  up  for  the  righteous." 

In  this  joy  the  finally  impenitent  cannot  pai'tici- 
pate.  From  God  and  Heaven,  they  must  forever 
depart.  O  dismal  thought  !  Deficit  from  the 
blessed  Redeemer ! — 


70  THE    WAGES    OF    SIN. 


"  'Tis  death,  'tis  more  ; 


'Tis  endless  ruin,  deep  despair." 

Secondly.  Another  ingredient  in  the  noiurt  of 
this  reward,  is  the  endurance  of  God's  wrath. 

The  impenitent  sinner,  if  he  could  live  in,  and 
enjoy  this  world  forever,  would  cheerfully  resign 
to  the  Christian  all  the  joys  of  that  habitation  not 
made  with  hands,  "  eternal  in  the  heavens."  But 
the  idea  of  being  banished  far  away  from  both 
worlds,  where  happiness  is  to  be  found,  to  await  in 
darkness  the  decisions  of  the  last  great  day,  which 
will  confirm  all  his  fears,  and  deepen  his  despair, 
is  a  thought  too  dreadful  to  be  by  him  indulged. 
Annihilation,  as  appalling  as  the  thought  is  to  our 
souls,  would  no  doubt  to  the  wicked  be  a  most  de- 
sirable event.  But  this  can  never  be.  The  soul 
of  man  is  formed  by  its  Creator  for  an  endless  state 
of  existence ;  and  whose  heart  is  not  appalled  at  the 
'possibility^  not  to  say  certainty,  of  having  the  great 
God  his  declared  and  irreconcilable  enemy  ?  Tri- 
fling with  this  subject,  fellow-sinner,  is  the  height 
of  madness  :  and  indifference  about  it,  is  only  a 
slight  remove  from  utter  despair.  And  yet  there 
are  those  who  laugh  at  the  idea  of  an  eternal  hell, 
and  employ  all  their  ingenuity  to  explain  away  the 
numerous  passages  in  the  Bible  that  refer  to  this 
subject.  The  fact  however  exists:  there  is  a  hell  I 
Tremendous  thought!  Appalling  consideration 
And  yet  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  declared  there 
is  an  eternal  hell !  Fellow-men,  be  ye  not  mock- 
ers, lest  your  '•  bonds  be  made  strong  ;"  lest  you  be 
left  to  believe  a  lie  that  you  may  be  damned. 

The  subject  is  too  awful  and  solemn  to  admit  of 
trifling.  Listen  all  ye  who  are  sowing  to  the  flesh, 
while  I  say  unto  you  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  God 
of  Israel ;  that  those  who  shall  be  assembled  on  the 


THE    WAGES    OF    SIN.  71 

left  hand  of  the  judgment-scat  of  Christ,  shall  be 
driven  into  hell,  and  endure  most  grievous  torments 
in  soul  and  body,  without  intermission  to  all  eter- 
nity. '•  To  a  being  endowed  with  a  spirit  which 
can  nc  7er  ^ease  to  exist,  and  who  can  live  at  most 
but  a  fiw  years  in  the  present  world,  the  question, 
what  is  to  be  his  future  condition,  is  the  most  im- 
portant question  that  can  possibly  be  agitated.  Will 
his  condition  after  death  be  unchangeable  ?  Will 
his  probation  be  at  an  end  when  his  present  life  shall 
cease  ?  At  the  prospect  of  happiness  he  is  filled 
with  delightful  anticipation,  which  makes  exist- 
ence a  blessing,  and  causes  the  soul  to  exult  in  the 
possession  of  its  powers  and  capacities.  At  the 
prospect  of  misery  without  relief  and  without  end, 
an  instinctive  horror  closes  every  avenue  of  plea- 
sure, and  the  soul  loathes  its  own  existence,  and 
would  fain  resign  the  possession  of  it.  This,  how- 
ever, it  cannot  do.  He  who  made  us  in  his  own 
image,  made  us  immortal  like  himself;  immortal 
in  regard  to  the  powers  and  faculties  as  well  as  the 
existence  of  the  soul  ;  the  immortal  subjects,  there- 
fore, of  happiness  or  misery  in  the  future  state.  If  the 
Scriptures  have  not  asserted  the  endkss  punishment 
of  the  wicked,  neither  have  they  asserted  the  end- 
less happiness  of  the  righteous,  nor  the  endless 
glory  and  existence  of  the  Godhead.  The  one  ia 
equally  certain  with  the  other :  both  are  laid  in  the 
same  balance  :  they  must  be  tried  by  the  same  tests. 
And  if  we  give  up  the  one,  we  must,  in  order  to 
be  consistent,  give  up  the  other  also." 

The  punishment  of  hell  is  expressed  by  sensible 
images.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  often  compares  it 
to  a  "  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone  ;  where  their 
worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched." 
Saith  the  Psalmist,  "  Upon  the  wicked  the  Lore 


72  THE    WAGES    OF    SIN. 

bhall  rain  snares,  fire  and  brimstone,  and  a  burning 
tempest,  this  shall  be  the  portion  of  their  cup."  It 
is  also  called  in  Scripture,  a  "  place  of  weeping, 
wailing,  and  gnashing  of  teeth."  The  idea  of  hell 
includes  horror  of  conscience.  There  the  soul  will 
be  writhing  in  torture,  and  agonizing  in  despair. 
Reflections  on  the  past  will  fill  the  miserable  spirit 
with  the  deepest  sorrow.  The  calls  of  God's  word, 
and  the  strivings  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  time,  will 
then  be  remembered.  The  reproofs  of  faithful 
ministers,  and  pious  relatives,  and  the  admonitions 
of  conscience,  will  no  longer  be  forgotten. 

With  what  agony  we  may  suppose  the  lost  sin 
ner  will  reflect  upon  the  abuse  of  God's  mercies  in 
time.  The  contempt  with  which  every  thing  like 
heart  religion  was  treated  ;  and  the  utter  scorn 
and  final  rejection  of  the  "  Gospel  of  the  blessed 
God." 

With  what  agony  will  lost  youth  reflect  upon  the 
warnings,  the  entreaties,  and  the  fervent  prayers  of 
a  pious  father  or  mother,  when  they  together  bowed 
around  the  family  altar  to  ask  God  to  pardon  their 
sins,  and  prepare  them  for  heaven  !  The  midnight 
cry,  "  O  Jesus,  have  mercy  on  my  impenitent  son  ; 
or  my  vain  and  thoughtless  daughter,"  will  be 
heard  no  more.  The  soul  will  turn  and  turn  and 
find  no  relief. 

'•  Ah !  must  she  look  -with  terror  on  her  gain, 
And  with  existence,  only  measure  pain  ? 
What !  no  reprieve,  no  least  indulgence  giTen, 
No  beam  of  hope  from  any  point  of  heaven?" 

"  How  dreadful  a  change  is  this  for  the  careles 
sinner !  Here  he  has  many  comforts,  and  what  h« 
esteems  pleasures ;  there,  not  one.  Here,  tender 
friends  are  his  companions  by  day :  the  most  di** 


THE    WAGES    OF    SIN.  73 

tressed  have  something  remaining  to  lessen  their 
wretchedness;  but  there  human  kmdness  cannot 
enter,  and  devils  cannot  love.  There  is  nothing  to 
give,  even  once  in  ten  thousand  years,  a  momentary 
pleasure.  No  ease  to  mingle  with  a  sea  of  misery. 
Misery  will  reign  in  every  heart  ;  despair  will 
scowl  on  every  face ;  rage,  anguish,  and  remorse 
distract  every  soul.  To  the  "  fire  that  never  shall 
be  quenched,"  is  added  the  worm  that  will  never 
die.  The  lost  sinner  will  feel  a  hell  within  as  well 
as  a  hell  without.  Infernal  passions,  like  so  many 
vultures,  will  tear  his  wretched  soul.  O,  sirs,  do 
you  imagine  what  misery  will  spring  from  this 
source  ?  Some  unhapp)'-  creatures  even  in  this 
world,  have  seemed  to  be  lively  images  of  what 
lost  souls  must  be  forever.  A  statement  to  the  fol- 
lowing effect  appeared  in  1797,  in  the  New  York 
Theological  Magazine  :  "  A  young  man  who  had 
some  serious  impressions,  but  who  hardened  him- 
self in  sin,  declared,  that  after  that  time  when  God 
seems  to  have  forsaken  him,  his  heart  became  as- 
hard  as  adamant — his  enmity  against  God  increased 
to  a  great  degree.  He  did  not  feel  one  desire  to 
ask  or  receive  mercy,  or  the  least  favor  from  God. 
He  never  reflected  on  the  divine  character,  but  his 
heart  rose  in  the  most  violent  opposition.  '  When- 
ever,', said  he,  'I  reflect  that  God  is  almighty, 
just,  and  holy — that  I  am  dependent  on  him — that 
he  can  and  will  do  with  me  what  he  pleases,  my 
heart  burns  with  rage  and  fury,  and  had  I  the  pow- 
er, I  would  execute  vengeance  upon  the  Almighty.' 
He  then  said  to  a  number  under  religious-  impres- 
fcions,  '  I  have  heard  you  relate  the  feelings  of 
your  hearts,  and  you  appear  to  have  some  sense 
of  your  wickedness ;  but  if  enmity  of  heart  against 
2od  is  wickedness,  and  that  it  is  I  am  fully  con- 
7 


74  THE    T\-AGES    OF    SIN. 

yinced,  though  I  wish  to  believe  the  contrary,  youi 
present  sense  is  nothing  compared  with  the  fountain 
of  iniquity  within.  1  know  if  all  men's  hearts 
are  alike,  you  would  dethrone  the  Almighty  if  you 
had  power.  Had  I  a-n  omnipotent  arm,  Heaven 
would  soon  be  stormed,  and  God  be  cast  headlong 
from  his  throne.'  '  I  have  no  peace,'  said  he,  '  day 
or  night ;  my  torment  is  as  great  seemingly  as  I  can 
endure.  God  is  constantly  in  my  view,  and  my 
heart  is  constantly  burning  with  rage  and  fury.' 
His  eyes,  his  countenance,  his  air  expressed  the 
same  feelings  with  his  words.  Nothing  said, 
availed  anything  unless  to  increase  his  rage  and  en- 
mity. He  had,  says  the  writer,  as  it  appeared  to 
me,  the  most  clear  and  lively  sense  of  the  wicked- 
ness of  the  human  heart — of  the  divine  character — 
of  the  creature's  dependence — and  the  nature  of 
future  torments,  of  any  person  with  whom  I  was 
ever  acquainted.  His  distress  was  sometimes  so 
great,  that  he  would  lie  down  and  roll  upon  the 
floor  :  groan  like  a  man  exercised  with  excruciating 
pain  ;  and  cry,  '  O !  that  I  could  banish  from  my 
mind  all  thoughts  of  God  forever  and  ever  !'  At  one 
time  he  travelled  barefoot  in  the  night,  twelve  miles 
in  a  deep  snow,  and  gave  as  a  reason  for  his  conduct, 
that  bodily  pain  was  the  only  means  by  which  he 
could  divert  his  mind  from  those  objects  which  gave 
him  greater  distress ;  he  therefore  did  it  to  mitigate  his 
distress."  Oh  dreadful  condition!  Oh  miserable  end 
of  a  life  of  sin.  And  yet  the  greater  misery  is  to 
come.  Words  cannot  describe,  nor  imagination  ever 
conceive  what  will  be  the  remorse  of  such  a  soul  m 
the  eternal  world.  There  will  the  sinner  discern 
for  what  he  lost  the  fair  inheritance  of  heaven  ;  and 
for  what  poor  trifles  he  sunk  his  soul  to  hell.  Then 
will  he  know  what  base  pleasures  of  a  moment 


THE    WAGES    OF    SIN.  75 

he  prefetred,  to  eternal  life  and  eternal  glory.  Oh, 
how  will  it  wound  his  soul  to  think  of  grace  re- 
fused, and  Christ  neglected!  Oh,  while  he  blas- 
phemes his  God,  how  will  he  curse  his  own  sell- 
destroying  folly,  in  choosing  the  way  to  hell  instead 
of  that  to  heaven,  and  sin  instead  of  religion.  How 
bitter  now  will  be  the  remembrance  of  sabbaths 
wasted!  of  mercy  rejected!  of  the  calls  to  which  he 
would  not  hearken,  and  the  admonitions  he  would 
not  regard!  '•  Is  this  the  hell,"  may  the  unhappy 
creature  say,  "that  I  was  choosing  when  I  turned 
a  deaf  ear  to  the  advice  of  God?  Is  this  eternal 
flame  the  end  of  all  my  pleasures?  Is  even  this  dam- 
nation my  own  choice  ?  Ah  !  why  have  some  whom 
I  once  knew  risen  to  glory?  They  were  not  bora 
the  heirs  of  heaven  any  more  than  I.  Like  me 
they  were  the  children  of  wrath.  Why  are  they 
admitted  and  I  shut  out  ?  Why  are  they  happy 
and  I  miserable?  They  in  heaven,  and  I  in  hell  ? 
Ah !  they  listened  to  the  Saviour's  voice,  and  I 
hearkened  not.  They  turned  to  God,  and  I  refused 
to  turn.  They  were  wise,  and  I  distracted  ;  now 
they  are  blessed  and  I  undone.  Wretched  creature  I 
and  have  I  sold  my  soul  for  a  moment's  base  de- 
light ?  Have  I  valued  eternal  glories  at  so  little  a 
price  ?  Have  I  preferred  the  world  and  the  devil 
to  a  compass^'onate  Saviour  and  a  gracious  God  ? 
Alas  !  I  have.  Wo  is  me  !  all  is  lost !  My  soul 
is  lost !  and  damnation  with  all  its  horrors,  must  be 
mine  to  all  eternity." 

Again.  Hell  is  represented  in  the  Bible  as  a 
dismally  dark  place,  where  there  is  nothing  but 
grief,  sadness,  vexation,  rage,  despair,  and  gnashing 
of  teeth.  "  The  wretched  inhabitants  of  those  re- 
gions will  know  all  around  them,  to  be  enemies 
ind  deceivers !     Amid  the  vast  multitudCj  not  an 


76  THE   WAGES    OF    SIN. 

individual,  will  be  found,  possessed  either  of  nata 
ral  affection,  or  benevolence  or  sincerity.  Selfish- 
ness, supreme  and  absolute,  repels  every  thing,  and 
attracts  nothing.  This  probably  will  be  one  of  the 
most  painful  and  wearisome,  among  all  the  ingre- 
dients of  future  wo. 

"  A  rational  mind  instinctively  looks  to  some  ob- 
ject, on  which  it  may  rest  in  its  journeys  through 
the  vast  track  of  duration.  How  oppressive  must 
it  be  to  such  a  mind,  to  roam  in  its  thoughts  through 
immensit)'-,  and  to  wander  down  the  vale  of  eterni- 
ty, and  find  no  friend,  no  being  on  whom  this  affec- 
tion may  be  pkiced  !  The  miserable  inhabitants  of 
hell  have  no  God,  no  Saviour,  no  virtuous  friends, 
no  parents,  no  relatives,  before  whom  they  may 
spread  their  calamities,  with  the  hope  of  being 
heard,  or  in  whose  hearts  or  hands  they  may  find  a 
refuge  from  the  bitterness  of  wo.  Thus,  while  the 
inhabitant  of  that  melancholy  world  looks  around 
him ;  when  he  casts  his  eyes  abroad  through  the 
universe ;  he  will  be  forced  to  perceive  that  it  con 
tains  no  friend  to  him.  In  the  midst  of  millions  he 
is  alone ;  and  is  sure  of  being  loathed,  rejected,  and 
shunned  by  every  being  in  the  creation  of  God. 
Not  a  sigh  can  he  breathe,  not  a  tear  can  he  shed  ; 
not  a  sorrow  can  he  unfold  ;  not  a  prayer  can  he 
utter,  with  a  hope  of  being  befriended,  heard,  or 
regarded.  In  addition  to  all  this,  if  he  extend  his 
^dew  through  eternity,  he  will  find  as  he  passes  on- 
ward from  day  to  day,  and  from  age  to  age,  no 
ehange  for  the  better.  All  around  him  will  be 
gloom  and  solitude :  all  before  him  will  be  desola- 
tion, anguish  and  despair." 

Such  is  the  nature  of  future  punishment.  Such 
are  the  "  wages  of  sin."  But  after  all  that  can  be 
said  of  the  nature  of  this  reward,  there  can  be  no 


THE    WAGES    OF    SIN.  77 

doubt  the  description  given,  comes  far  short  of  the 
reality.  Enough  however  has  been  said,  mast  we 
not  hope,  to  induce  impenitent  persons  who  may 
read  this  sermon,  to  "  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come," 
and  to  '•  lay  hold  of  the  hope  set  before  them  in  the 
Gospel  ?" 

Are  you  resolved,  fellow-sinner,  any  longer  to 
"  cast  off  fear  and  restrain  prayer  before  God,"  and 
in  this  way  to  '•  treasure  up  wrath  against  the  day 
of  wrath  ?"  I  beseech  you  once  more  to  make  a 
solemn  pause,  before  you  go  one  step  farther  in  this 
downward  road  to  death.  "  Escape  for  your  life  ;" 
there  is  no  time  for  delay :  the  seeds  of  disease 
within  you,  may  even  now  be  ripening  you  for  the 
grave ;  or,  if  you  continue  much  longer  in  this  se- 
cure state  God  may  leave  you  to  walk  in  your 
own  way  and  choose  your  own  diversions.  Are 
you  determined,  however,  to  run  the  fearful  risk? 
Are  you  resolved,  ''  O  young  man,  to  rejoice  in  your 
youth  :  to  suffer  your  heart  to  cheer  you  in  the  days 
of  your  youth,  and  to  walk  in  the  way  of  your 
heart,  and  in  the  sight  of  your  eyes ;"  then  ••  know 
thou  that  for  all  these  things  God  will  bring  tMe 
into  judgment."  ''Pursue,  if  you  will,  whatever 
course  inclination  suggests  to  thee.  Trouble  not 
thyself  with  serious  reflections,  or  with  anticipa- 
tions ;  but  yield  to  present  impulses,  and  spend  a 
merry  life.  Give  thyself  no  concern  about  what 
will  please  God,  please  thyself;  withhold  not  thy 
heart  from  any  joy  ;  follow  the  tide  of  thy  p5issions. 
Give  thy  youthful  desires  their  full  measure  of 
gratification  ;  hurry  away  from  one  scene  to  another 
of  dissipating  and  riotous  mirth  ;  make  as  much  of 
the  world  as  you  can  ;  resist  the  strivings  of  the 
Holy  Spirit ;  stifle  the  convictions  of  conscience  ; 
disregard  the  entreaties  of  your  best  friends,  live  a 
7* 


78  THE    WAGES    OF    SIN. 

few  more  precious  days  of  grace  in  forgetfulness  of 
your  Creator,  but  remember  that  judgment  and 
eternity  are  before  you." 

If  after  all  however  you  are  resolved  on  your 
own  way  ;  sit  down  and  deliberately  commit  your 
resolutions  to  writing,  in  language  something  like 
the  following :  I  am  resolved  no  longer  to  give  my- 
self the  least  uneasiness  respecting  my  future  des- 
tiny. This  present  world  shall  occupy  all  my  at- 
tention ;  and  as  it  is  the  common  lot  of  man  to  die, 
when  my  time  shall  come,  I  will  endeavor  to  sup- 
port the  trial  with  fortitude,  and  die  like  a  man  and 
a  philosopher. 

Ah !  how  many  there  are  who  have  not  sufficient 
resolution  to  sign  an  instrument  of  this  kind,  that 
live,  and  will  probably  die,  in  a  state  of  entire  in- 
difference of  eternal  thinos.  My  most  fervent 
prayer  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  that  such  may 
awake  before  the  darkness  of  the  second  death  shall 
blot  out  every  hope  of  heaven. 

Secondly.  I  promised  to  say  something  on  the 
degree  of  this  eternal  reward. 

Some  persons  are  capable  of  suffering  much  more 
in  this  world  than  others ;  so  it  will  be  in  the  world 
of  wo.  No  quarters  in  hell  will  be  tolerable  ;  yet 
we  are  told  by  the  Saviour  that  it  '•  shall  be  more 
tolerable  for  Tyre  and  Sidon,  Sodom  and  Gomorrah 
at  the  day  of  judgment,  than  for  the  cities  where 
he  preached  and  wrought  mighty  works."  Those 
who  perish  from  under  the  light  of  the  Gospel,  will 
have  a  heavier  doom  than  those  who  did  not  hear 
the  Gospel.  The  sin  of  rejecting  Christ  and  his 
salvation,  is  of  all  other,  the  most  heinous  in  the 
sight  of  God,  and  will  sink  the  sinner  into  the  bot- 
tomless pit. 

There  are  multitudes  in   every  Christian  land, 


THE    WAGES    OF    SIN.  7& 

and  in  Christian  churches,  doubtless,  having-  tho 
form  of  godliness,  and  the  outward  appearance  of 
piety,  who  are  nevertheless  at  heart  opposed  to  all 
serious  worship,  and  must,  if  they  die  in  the  same 
state,  experience  a  heavier  doom  in  eternity  than 
the  vile  and  profligate,  who  are  comparatively  ig- 
norant of  the  way  of  I'fe. 

The  orphan  boy  that  has  no  one  to  care  for  his 
soul,  who  has  lived  without  the  enjoyment  of  the 
means  of  grace ;  who  has  seldom  had  an  opportu- 
nity to  attend  church  or  the  sabbath  school,  or  to 
hear  a  missionary  talk  or  pray ;  dying  in  his  sins, 
will  indeed  lose  his  soul,  but  he  will  not  suffer 
like  the  youth  who  has  a  Christian  father  or  mother 
to  pray  with  and  for  him,  and  teach  him  his  duty 
to  God  and  to  himself,  but  who  despises  their  in- 
structions, leads  a  wicked,  profane  life  and  dies  un- 
der the  curse  of  the  Lord.  The  greater  the  light 
the  more  aggravated  the  condemnation.  The  strong- 
er the  conviction  of  duty,  if  that  duty  is  neglected, 
the  more  aggravated  the  sin. 

Thirdly.  Let  us  in  conclusion  reflect  upon  the 
duration  of  this  reward. 

On  this  subject  we  must  go  to  the  Bible  for  in- 
struction. We  have  no  means  of  knowing  what  is 
to  be  our  condition  in  eternity,  except  as  God  shall 
see  fit  to  make  it  known  to  us.  And  what  do  we 
learn  from  the  sacred  Scriptures  in  reference  to  the 
future  existence  of  the  wicked  ?  Has  that  Holy 
Book  disclosed  any  method  of  future  relief?  I  re- 
peat what  has  been  before  asserted  in  another  part 
of  this  book,  that  '•  on  this  subject  of  unspeakable 
and  everlasting  moment,  of  tremendous  interest, 
there  is  not  one  assertion,  one  word  even  in  all  the 
book  of  God,  which,  when  construed  by  the  usual 
laws  of  language,  can  afford  a  gleam  of  hope." 


80  THE    WAtES    QF    SIN. 

There  is  not  a  sentence  in  the  Scriptures  which  a> 
serts  or  gives  any  countenance  to  the  idea,  that  the 
means  of  grace — the  preaching  of  the  Gospel — or 
the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  will  be  enjoyed  in 
helJ.  "  All  the  warnings  and  exhortations  which 
the  Bible  contains  go  upon  the  ground  of  men's 
p-j-ese?it  state  of  trial  being  their  Jlnal  and  decisive 
one."  The  natural,  the  only  conclusion  therefore, 
is  that  the  punishment  of  the  wicked  in  another 
world  is  to  be  eternal. 

My  soul  shudders  at  their  prospects :  my  spirit  is 
overwhelmed  at  the  thought  of 

"Misery,  without  relief,  and  infinite." 

A.nd  jret  it  is  written,  "  these  shall  go  away  into 
everlasting  punishment."  '•'  Eternity,  eternity  !  this 
completes  the  sinner's  misery."  Dear  reader,  if  yon 
should  sink  to  hell,  you  will  know  when  too  late 
that  from  it  there  is  no  escape.  "  You  may  forget 
how  fast  eternity  comes,  but  you  will  never  forget 
how  slow  it  goes." 

What  images  can  I  employ  to  give  you  an  idea 
of  eternity.  Imagine  if  you  can  the  length  of  that 
night  where  no  sun  darts  his  rays,  no  moon  rises, 
no  stars  twinkle  ;  the  blackness  of  darkness  forever 
and  ever !  Compute  ages  upon  ages  tdl  numbers  fail  ; 
then  with  more  than  an  angel's  power,  continue  to 
swell  the  mighty  aggregate  of  years  ;  is  it  eternity? 
Ask  the  sufferer  in  the  most  dismal  dungeon  the 
length  of  the  night.  Ask  the  tempest-tost  mariner 
who  ia  surrounded  by  the  darkness  of  midnight, 
how  slow  time  moves  ;  alas !  all  this  is  but  a  pre- 
lude to  hell.  O  eternity !  eternity  !  what  art  thou  ? 
or  rather,  what  art  thou  not  ? 

Candidates  for  an  eternity  of  wo  !  before  you 
launch  into  it,  take  one  deep  and  solemn  view  of 


THE    WAGES    OF    SIN.  84 

that  "  hre  that  never  shall  be  quenc'iedj  pnd  the 
worm  in  the  midst  thereof  that  never  dies."  Behold 
the  sufferer  reaping  the  wages  of  sin :  "  venting  un- 
availing cries  to  a  devouring  flame,  and  pouring 
out  bitter  complaints  to  an  unpitying  dungeon." 
What  would  be  their  sensations  if  they  could  have 
another  opportunity  of  repentance,  another  day  of 
grace  proclaimed  by  their  Judge?  "  But  no  day 
of  grace  will  ever  return  to  them.  Season  will 
hasten  after  season,  and  age  roll  on  after  age,  the 
melancholy  round  of  darkness  and  despair,  and  not 
a  ray  of  hope  glimmer  through  the  cheerless  void 
to  revive  the  wearied  and  the  dying  eye." 

Yes,  impenitent  candidates  for  eternity,  though 
you  may  be  disposed  to  disbelieve  the  Scriptural 
account  of  hell^  which  is  called  "the  wrath  to 
come  ;"  yet  as  certainly  as  God  lives  :  as  certainly 
as  He  is  true  to  his  word  of  threatening,  this  wrath 
will  come  upon  the  world  of  the  ungodly.  All  the 
united  force  of  the  rebellious  part  of  creation,  will 
not  be  able  to  prevent  it.  "  It  is  wrath  to  come,  for 
it  is  still  coming  and  approaching."  It  is  "wrath 
to  come,"  because  it  is  always  coming  and  never 
past.  "  The  tide  of  God's  wrath  on  the  damned,  is 
an  eternal  Jlood^  there  will  never  be  an  ebbing." 
How  terrible  then  will  be  the  doom  of  unbeliev- 
ers, and  of  all  who  die  in  their  sins  ! 

Follow  in  imagination  the  soul  of  a  lost  sinner 
to  the  world  of  wo,  and  hear  what  we  might  natu- 
rally suppose  would  be  its  reflections : 

"  Helpless.  I  sink  into  the  dark  abyss. 
Banished  for  ever  from  eternal  bliss; 
In  boiling  waves  of  vengeance  must  1  lie?  * 

O  could  1  curse  this  dreadful  God  and  die 
Infinite  years,  in  torment  must  I  spend, 
And  never,  never,  never  at  an  end  ? 


82  THE    WAGES    OF    SIN. 

Ah !  must  I  live  in  torturing  despair, 

As  many  years  as  atoms  in  the  air  ? 

When  these  are  spent  as  many  thousand  more, 

As  grains  of  sand  that  crowd  the  ebbing  shore? 

When  these  are  done,  as  many  yet  behind, 

As  leaves  of  forest  shaken  with  the  wind  ? 

When  these  are  gone  as  many  to  ensue, 

As  stems  of  grass  on  hills  and  dales  that  grew  1 

When  these  run  out,  as  many  on  the  march. 

As  starry  lamps  that  gild  the  spangled  arch  ? 

When  these  expire,  as  many  millions  more, 

As  moments  in  the  millions  past  before? 

When,  all  these  doleful  years  are  spent  in  pain. 

And  multiplied  by  myriads  again. 

Till  numbers  drown  the  thought ;  could  I  suppose, 

That  then  my  wretched  years  were  at  a  close. 

This  would  afford  some  ease  ;  but,  ah,  I  shiver, 

To  think  upon  the  dreadful  sound,  forever ; 

The  burning  gulph,  where  I  blaspheming  lie. 

Is  time  no  more,  but  vast  eternity. 

The  growing  torment  I  endure  ft)r  sin, 

Through  ages  all,  is  always  to  begin. 

How  did  I  but  a  grain  of  pleasure  sow. 

To  reap  an  harvest  of  immortal  wo  ? 

Bound  to  the  bottom  of  the  burning  main. 

Gnawing  my  chains,  I  wish  for  death  in  vain. 

Just  doom !  since  I  that  bear  the  eternal  load, 

Despised  the  death  of  an  eternal  God/' 

Think  of  this  all  ye  that  forget  God,  "  lest  he 
tear  you  in  pieces,  and  there  be  none  to  deliver." 
Turn  to  the  Lord  with  all  your  heart,  with  fasting-, 
with  weeping  and  with  mourning.  For  he  is  gra- 
cious and  merciful,  slow  to  anger,  and  of  great 
kindness,  and  repenteth  him  of  the  evil ;  who  know- 
eth  if  he  turn  and  repent,  and  leave  a  blessing  be- 
hind him.     Amen. 


THE    SOUL.  88 


THE  SOUL, 


Reader,  let  this  thought  be  deeply  impressed 
upon  your  mind,  "  I  am  immortal."  Yes,  whether 
you  think  of  it  or  not,  you  are  immortal.  Your 
soul  is  not  destined  to  sport  and  trifle  for  a  few 
brief  years,  and  then  to  expire  forever.  It  is  en- 
dowed with  vast,  yea,  with  inconceivable  powers, 
not  to  be  satisfied  with  any  thing  this  world  can 
give.  You  cannot  annihilate  the  soul.  You  can- 
not fall  into  an  eternal  sleep.  You  cannot  be  lost 
among  the  innumerable  multitudes  which  shall 
rise  from  the  dead  and  stand  around  your  tomb. 
No  matter  can  crush,  no  fire  destroy,  no  floods 
overwhelm  this  indestructible  Spirit.  No  created 
being  can  number  the  ages  of  its  eternity.  When 
you  have  exhausted  the  powers  of  calculation  in 
enumerating  its  myriads  of  years,  you  have  but 
told  the  commencement  of  the  soul's  existence. 
You  may  banish  serious  reflections,  but  you  are  im- 
mortal still.  You  may  plunge  into  licentiousness, 
but  you  cannot  plunge  into  oblivion.  You  may  de- 
grade your  nature,  but  you  cannot  destroy  it. 

As  it  regards  your  own  personal  salvation,  you 
may  place  an  extinguisher  upon  the  light  of  the 
Gospel,  so  that  it  will  produce  no  transforming  in- 
fluence upon  your  mind.  You  may  stifle  con- 
science, you  may  sin  away  time  :  but  you  may  not, 
you  cannot  sin  away  your  immortality.  This  earth 
then  is  not  to  be  your  resting  place,  your  final 
home.  All  that  constitutes  the  grandeur  of  the 
soul  is  interrupted  and  contracted  in  this  vain 
world.  We  may  enjoy,  but  our  enjoyments  are 
limited  and  partial.     We  can  suffer  but  our  suffer- 


84  THE    SOL'L. 

ings  are  bounded.  A  little  season  ;  a  very  little 
season,  which  is  shaping  our  destinies  forever,— 
shall  pass  away  to  open  a  range  of  immensity  and 
infinity  for  the  exercise  of  our  capacities.  We  ire 
to  become  the  companions  of  God,  or  we  are  to 
become  outcasts  from  God,  and  from  all  good ; 
looking,  and  longing  and  praying  for  some  allevia- 
tion of  suffering ;  for  some  pause  in  this  career  of 
wo.  Such  is  the  soul  of  man  !  such  are  its  capaci- 
ties, and  such  is  its  destiny !  such  reader  is  your 
soul!  shall  it  be  saved,  or  lost?  Shall  it  sing  the 
"  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb,"  or  shall  it  weep 
and  wail  forever  ? 

The  duration  of  our  souls  will  run  on  from  its 
first  commencement,  in  parallel  lines  with  the  ex- 
istence of  God,  our  Saviour.  What  an  inheritance 
is  this  entailed  upon  the  child  of  dust,  the  creature 
of  yesterday  !  Here  let  us  pause, — make  a  stand, 
— and  take  a  survey  of  this  majestic  prospect !  This 
body  must  soon  moulder  into  dust,  but  the  soul,  as 
we  have  seen,  will  live  unhurt,  untouched,  amid 
all  the  dissolving  struggles  and  convulsions  of  ani- 
mal nature.  '•  These  heavens  shall  pass  away  with 
a  great  noise  ;  these  elements  shall  melt  with  fer- 
vent heat:  the  earth,  and  the  things  that  are  there- 
in shall  be  burnt  up  ;"  but  this  soul  shall  live  secure 
of  existence  in  the  universal  desolation  : 

"  Unhurt  amidst  the  war  of  elements, 
Tlie  wreck  of  matter,  and  the  crush  of  worlds." 

"  And  now  when  the  present  system  of  things 
is  dissolved,  and  time  shall  be  no  more,  eternity, 
boundless  eternity,  succeeds ;  and  on  this  the  soul 
enters  as  on  its  proper  hereditary  duration.  Now 
look  forward  as  far  as  you  Avill,  your  eyes  meet 
with  no  obstruction,  with  nothing  but  the  immen 


THE    SOUL.  85 

sity  of  the  prospect:  in  that,  indeed,  it  is  lost,  as 
extending  infinitely  beyond  its  view.  Come,  fel- 
low men,  attempt  this  arithmetic  of  infinites,  and 
exhaust  th3  power  of  numbers  ;  let  millions  of  mil* 
lions  of  ages  begin  the  vast  computation  ;  multiply 
these  by  the  stars  of  heaven  ;  by  the  particles  of 
dust  in  this  huge  globe  of  earth  ;  by  the  drops  of 
water  in  all  the  vast  oceans,  rivers,  lakes,  and 
springs  that  are  spread  over  the  globe  ;  by  all  the 
thoughts  that  have  risen  in  so  quick  a  succession 
in  the  minds  of  men  and  angels,  from  their  first 
creation  to  this  day  ;  and  make  this  computation,  and 
then  look  forward  through  this  long  line  of  duration, 
and  contemplate  your  future  selves ;  still  you  see 
yourselves  in  existence,  still  the  same  persons ;  still 
endowed  with  the  same  consciousness,  and  the 
same  capacities  for  happiness  or  misery,  but  vastly 
enlarged ;  as  much  superior  to  the  present  as  the 
capacities  of  an  adult  to  those  of  a  new-born  infant. 
Still  you  will  bloom  in  immortal  youth,  and  are  as 
far  from  an  end  as  in  the  first  moment  of  your  ex- 
istence. O,  sirs,  methinks  it  may  startle  us  to  view 
our  future  selves  so  changed,  so  improved,  removed 
into  such  difTerent  regions,  associated  with  such 
strange  unacquainted  beings,  and  fixed  in  such 
different  circumstances  of  glory  or  terror,  of  happi- 
ness or  misery." 

•'  Men  of  great  projects  and  sanguine  hopes  are 
apt  to  sit  and  pause,  and  take  an  imaginary  sur- 
vey of  what  they  will  do,  and  what  they  will  be  in 
the  progress  of  life.  But  then  death,  like  an  ap- 
parition, starts  up  before  them,  and  threatens  to  cut 
them  off  in  the  midst  of  their  pursuit.  But  here 
no  death  threatens  to  extinguish  your  being,  or 
snap  the  thread  of  your  existence  ;  but  it  runs  on 
in  one  continued  everlasting  tenor.  What  a  vast 
8 


86  THE    SOUL. 

inheritance  is  this,  unalienably  entailed  upon  every 
child  of  Adam !  What  importance,  what  value, 
does  this  consideration  give  to  that  neglected  thing, 
the  soul !  What  an  awful  being  is  it  ?  immor- 
tality! What  emphasis,  what  grandeur  in  the 
sound  !  Immortality  is  so  vast  an  attribute,  that  it 
adds  a  kind  of  infinity  to  any  thing  to  which  it  is  an- 
nexed, however  insignificant  in  other  respects:  and 
on  the  other  hand,  the  want  of  this  would  degrade 
the  most  exalted  being  into  a  trifle.  The  highest 
angel,  if  the  creature  of  a  day,  or  of  a  thousand 
years,  what  wouJd  he  be  ?  A  fading  flower,  a 
vanishing  vapor,  a  flying  shadow.  When  his  day, 
or  his  thousand  j^ears  are  past,  he  is  as  truly  noth- 
ing, as  if  he  had  never  been.  It  is  little  matter 
what  becomes  of  him  ;  let  him  stand  or  fall,  let  him 
be  happy  or  miserable,  it  is  just  the  same  in  a  little 
while ;  he  is  gone,  and  there  is  no  more  of  him,  no 
trace  of  him  is  left.  But  an  immortal,  a  creature 
that  shall  never,  never,  never  cease  to  be  !  that  shall 
expand  his  capacities  of  action,  of  pleasure,  or  of 
pain,  through  an  everlasting  duration !  what  an 
awful  important  being  is  this !  And  is  my  soul, 
this  little  spark  of  reason  in  my  breast,  is  that  such 
a  being  ?  I  tremble  at  myself.  I  revere  my  own 
dignity,  and  am  struck  wiih  a  kind  of  pleasing 
horror  to  view  what  I  must  be.  And  is  there  any 
thing  so  worthy  of  the  care  of  such  a  being  as  the 
happiness,  the  everlasting  happiness  of  my  immor- 
tal part  ?  What  is  it  to  me,  who  am  formed  for 
an  endless  duration,  what  1  enjoy,  or  what  I  must 
suffer  in  this  vanishing  state  ?  Seventy  or  eighty 
years  bear  not  the  least  imaginable  proportion  to  the 
duration  of  such  a  being ;  they  are  too  inconsider- 
able a  point  to  be  seen,  mere  ciphers  in  the  com- 
putation !     And  what  shall  become  of  nie  through 


THE  sorL.  87 

this  immortal  duration?  This,  and  this  only,  is 
the  grand  concern  of  an  immortal :  and  in  compari- 
Eon  of  it,  it  does  not  deserve  one  thought  what  will 
become  of  me  while  in  this  vanishing  phantom  of 
a  world.  For  consider,  your  immortality  will  not 
be  a  state  of  insensibility,  without  pleasure  or  pain  ; 
you  will  not  draw  out  an  useless,  inactive  existence 
in  an  eternal  stupor,  or  a  dead  sleep.  But  your 
souls  will  be  active  as  long  as  they  exist,  and  as  I 
have  repeatedly  observed,  still  retain  all  their 
capacities  ;  nay,  their  capacities  will  perpetually 
enlarge  with  an  eternal  growth,  and  forever  tower 
from  glory  to  glory  in  heaven,  or  plunge  from 
depth  to  depth  in  hell.  Here  then,  my  fellow- 
immortals!  here  pause  and  say  to  yourselves, 
^  What  is  like  to  become  of  my  soul  through  this 
long  space,  forever  ?  Is  it  likely  to  be  happy  or 
miserable  ?"  What  though  you  are  now  rich, 
honorable,  healthy,  merry  and  gay  ?  Alas  !  terres- 
trial enjoyments  are  not  proper  food  for  an  immor- 
tal soul ;  and  besides,  they  are  not  immortal,  as 
your  souls  are. 

If  these  are  your  portion,  what  will  you  do  for 
happiness  millions  of  ages  hence,  when  all  these 
are  fled  away  like  a  vapor  ?  Are  you  provided 
with  a  happiness  which  will  last  as  long  as  your 
souls  will  live  to  crave  it  ?  Have  you  an  interest 
in  God?  Are  you  prepared  for  the  fruition  of  the 
heavenly  state  ?  Do  you  delight  in  God  above  all  ? 
Have  you  a  relish  for  the  refined  pleasures  of  re- 
ligion ?  Is  the  supreme  good  the  principal  object 
of  your  desire  ?  Do  you  now  accustom  yourselves 
to  the  service  of  God,  the  great  employment  of  hea* 
ven  ?  and  are  you  preparing  yourselves  for  the 
more  exalted  devotion  of  the  church  on  high,  by  a 
Benous  attendance  on  the  humbler  forms  of  worship 


88  THE    SOUL. 

in  the  church  on  earth  ?  Are  you  made  pure  m 
heart  and  life,  that  you  may  be  prepared  for  the 
regions  of  untainted  holiness,  to  breathe  in  that 
pure  air,  and  live  in  that  climate  so  warm  with  the 
love  of  God,  and  so  near  the  sun  of  righteousness  ? 
Do  not  some  of  you  know  that  this  is  not  your  pre- 
vailing character  ?  And  what  then  do  you  think 
wnll  becom.e  of  you  without  a  speedy  alteration  in 
your  temper  and  conduct  ?  Alas!  must  your  im 
mortality  become  your  eternal  curse  '?  Have  you 
made  it  your  interest  that  you  should  be  a  brute  ? 
that  is,  that  you  should  perish  entirely,  and  your 
whole  being  be  extinguished  in  death  ?  Then  it 
is  no  wonder  you  strive  to  disbelieve  the  doctrine 
of  a  future  state,  and  your  own  immortality.  But, 
alas  !  in  vain  is  the  strife.  The  principles  of  athe- 
ism and  infidelity  may  lull  your  consciences  into 
a  stupid  repose,  for  a  little  while,  but  they  cannot 
annihilate  you.  They  may  lead  you  to  live  like 
beasts,  but  they  cannot  enable  you  to  die  like  beasts. 
No,  you  must  live ;  live  to  suffer  righteous  pun- 
ishment, whether  you  will  or  not.  As  you  did  not 
come  into  being  by  your  own  consent,  so  neither  can 
you  lay  down  your  being  when  you  please.  And 
will  you  not  labor  to  make  immortality  a  blessing  ? 
Is  there  any  thing  in  this  world  that  can  be  a  temp- 
tation to  you  to  forfeit  such  an  immense  blessing  ? 
O  that  you  were  wise,  that  you  would  consider  this  ! 
"  It  is  impossible  to  use  words  strong  enough  to 
express  the  icorth  of  the  soul.  Such  is  its  value 
that  a  glorious  end  were  answered,  if  the  earth  and 
skies  were  maintained  in  being  for  ten  thousand 
ages,  merely  to  ripen  one  soul  for  immortality  and 
heaven  ;  and  the  labor  of  myriads  of  men  and  an- 
gels, through  ten  thousand  thousand  years,  would 
be  well  employed,  in  directing  one  *ost  soul   to  a 


THE    SOUL.  89 

Redeemer.  One  of  our  poets,  when  glancing  at 
the  starry  firmament,  and  comparing  its  glories 
with  the  soul,  remarks  with  not  more  fervor  than 
truth  : 

"  Survey  that  midnight  glory  !    Worlds  on  worlds ! 
Amazing  pomp  !    Redouble  that  amaze ! 
Ten  thousand  add ;  add  twice  ten  thousand  more, 
Then  weigh  the  whole  ;  one  soul  outweighs  them  all ; 
And  calls  the  astonishing  magnificence 
Of  unintelligent  creation  poorP 

Anotiier  poet,  with  equal  truth  and  beauty,  says : 

"  The  sun  is  but  a  spark  of  fire, 
A  transient  meteor  in  the  sky ; 
The  soul  immortal  as  its  sire, 
Shall  never  die." 

Fellow  immortals,  "  a  few  years  will  finish  ail 
your  delights  and  hopes,  and  fears,  below  ;  then 
will  your  souls  be  fixed  where  they  must  live  for- 
ever. While  you  read  or  hear  these  lines,  the  souls 
of  millions  are  encountering  all  the  sorrows,  or  are 
gladdened  with  all  the  joys  of  an  endless  world. 
For  ages  have  the  bodies  of  many  of  them  been 
turned  to  dust;  but  they  all  live  in  eternity,  though 
forgotten  here;  soon  will  the  time  come,  when  you 
must  meet  this  solemn  change  of  being  ;  when  you 
must  converse  with  man  no  more,  but  must  become 
a  companion  of  angels  or  of  devils.  And,  O,  what 
is  the  worth  of  a  soul !  that  may  through  endless 
ages  shine  in  heaven  ;  or  which,  covered  with  dark- 
ness, misery  and  despair,  must  become  a  devil  in 
that  lake  of  fire,  where  the  fire  never  shall  be 
quenched!  O!  in  pity  to  your  own  precious  and 
immortal  souls,  embrace,  without  delay,  the  Gospel 
of  your  God." 

Th'3  worth  of  the  soul  is  a  subject  on  which 
8* 


90  THE    SOUL. 

men  of  all  descriptions  have  agreed  ;  on  which  the 
best  and  wisest  have  had  their  testimony  confirm- 
ed, by  the  most  careless  and  the  worst.  Martyrs 
have  shown  their  sense  of  its  value,  by  all  their 
sufferings  to  secure  its  salvation.  For  this,  thou- 
sand^ as  sensible  as  you  of  the  comforts  of  life. 
have  willingly  forsaken  kindred,  country,  friends 
and  ease  ;  have  been  tortured  on  racks,  or  devoured 
by  beasts  of  prey  ;  been  burned  alive,  or  suffered 
torments  far  more  intolerable  than  burning!  Im- 
pressed with  the  worth  of  the  soul,  many,  with  these 
dark  scenes  before  them,  have  bid  farewell  to  all 
the  allurements  of  the  world,  to  meet  the  roughest 
storms  of  persecution,  face  its  dangers  and  sink  into 
the  grave  beneath  them.  Does  one  of  all  these 
martyred  myriads  repent?  Does  one  now  imagine 
that  he  suffered  more  than  salvation  is  worth  ?  Ah 
no,  if  they  could  now  address  you,  they  might  tell 
you,  that  sooner  than  lose  the  soul,  they  would  burn 
in  flames  a  thousand  times  hotter;  suffer  torments 
a  thousand  times  more  protracted  ;  prisons  a  thou- 
sand times  more  dismal ;  and  meet  death  in  forms, 
if  possible,  a  thousand  times  more  terrible.  And 
was  it  worth  their  while  to  endure  so  much  to  reach 
heaven ;  and  is  it  not  worth  5^ours,  in  earnestness, 
to  seek  admittance  there?  Say  to  the  dying  Chris- 
tian,— You  are  in  those  circumstances  which  ena- 
ble jrou  to  view  this  world  and  the  nejit  aright  , 
what  should  I  mind  ?  He,  in  purport,  would  re- 
ply, "  Take  care  of  your  soul."  A  dying  saint, 
(Richard  Baxter,)  said  to  some  friends  that  visited 
him,  "  you  come  hither  to  learn  to  die.  I  can  assure 
you  that  your  whole  life,  be  it  ever  so  long,  is  little 
enough  to  prepare  for  death.  Have  a  care  of  this 
vain  deceitful  world,  and  the  lusts  of  the  flesh.  Be 
Bure  you  choose  God  for  your  portion ;  heaven  for 


THE    SOUL.  91 

your  home ;  God's  glory  for  your  end  ;  His  word 
for  your  rule,  and  then  you  need  never  fear  but 
we  shall  meet  with  comfort."  Or  ask  the  dying 
profligate,  he  who  treated  all  religion  as  a  dream, 
and  fhe  soul  as  a  trifle,  say  to  him,  "what  shall  I 
chiefly  mind?"  and  would  he  not  reply,  "  take 
care  of  your  soul,  and  avoid  my  folly,  for  I  have 
ruined  mine."  One  unhappy  man,  who  had  lived 
in  wealth  and  splendor,  but  had  trifled  with  eter- 
nal things,  a  short  time  before  death,  said,  "  I  had 
provided  in  the  course  of  my  life,  for  everything 
except  death,  and  now,  alas  !  1  am  to  die,  although 
entirely  unprepared."  Another,  who  was  eminent 
for  his  wisdom  and  learning,  but  who  had  been 
negligent  of  the  great  salvation,  said,  "  It  is  lamen- 
table, that  men  consider  not  for  what  they  are  born 
into  the  world,  till  they  are  ready  to  go  out  of  it." 
Another  who  was  distinguished  for  his  talents,  his 
ambition,  and  his  success  in  gaining  worldly  hon- 
ors, not  long  before  his  death  cried  out,  "  O,  my 
poor  soul,  what  will  become  of  thee  ?  whither  wilt 
thou  go?" 

Fellow-immortal !  have  you  never  been  in  that 
situation,  in  which  the  world  appeared  a  dream,  a 
cheat,  a  nothing  ?  Have  you  never  lain  upon  the  bed 
of  sickness,  and  passed  wearisome  days  and  sleepless 
nights  of  languor  or  of  pain  ?  Have  you  never  been 
in  such  circumstances  as  to  expect  that  a  few  days  or 
weeks  would  end  your  mortal  course,  fix  your  body 
m  the  grave,  and  your  soul  in  eternit}'-  ?  and  have 
you  forgot  what  were  then  your  views  and  feel- 
mgs  ?  Did  the  world  appear  as  enchanting  lo  you 
then,  as  it  does  now  ?  Did  the  soul  and  its  salva- 
tion then  seem  a  thing  of  little  moment  ?  Rather 
did  not  the  world  seem  vanity  of  vanities?  Were 
you  now  on  a  bed  of  sickness  or  languishing,  and 


92  THE    SOUL. 

dying,  would  not  these  be  your  views  ?  And  must 
not  you,  ere  long,  be  in  such  a  situation?  And  will 
you  not  then  confess,  that  the  only  thing  that  de- 
serves your  care  is  the  immortal  soul  1  0,  why 
neglect  it,  when  you  might  secure  its  salvation  ? 
Why  put  off  entering  the  way  of  life,  till  that  way 
is  shut  forever  ? 

Agaiii.  Reflect  on  the  interest  taken  in  the  wel- 
fare of  your  soul  by  those  who  are  best  acquainted 
with  its  worth.  Angels,  those  blessed  spirits,  to 
whom  all  the  glory  of  this  world  would  seem  a  con- 
temptible dream,  are  not  uninterested  where  the 
soul  is  concerned.  "  There  is  joy  in  the  presence 
of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that  repent- 
eth."  Sent  by  their  Creator  on  errands  of  kind- 
ness, they  descend  to  earth,  and  attend  the  soul  in 
its  progress  towards  heaven  :  and  when  its  pilgrim- 
age is  concluded,  become  its  convoy  to  the  abodes 
of  blessedness. 

"  But  it  is  not  merely  the  inferior  though  glori- 
ous inhabitants  of  heaven,  whose  conduct  testifies 
the  worth  of  the  soul.  God,  the  great  and  ever- 
blessed  God,  has  so  loved  the  world,  as  to  give  his 
only-begotten  Son,  to  be  a  ransom  for  the  ruined 
souls  of  men ;  and  Jesus  Christ,  the  brightness  of 
his  Father's  glory,  has  suffered  and  died  to  redeem 
immortal  souls  from  death.  Behold  the  earth,  the 
moon,  the  sun,  the  stars,  and  all  the  wonders  of 
creation  ;  and  then  consider  that  for  that  soul,  which 
you  have  probably  neglected,  yet  for  that  neglect, 
ed  soul,  the  Creator  of  this  splendid  train  became 
a  man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted  with  grief  0 
learn,  dear  sir,  the  worth  of  your  immortal  spirit, 
from  what  passed  on  CalvaryMn  its  behalf!  See 
the  God  of  glory  resigning  his  best-beloved  to  un- 
bridled fury,  stripes,  and   death:  to  the  torturing 


THE    SOUL.  93 

cross,  the  bloody  spear,  and  the  dismal  grave  !  See 
the  patient  Son  of  God,  patient  amidst  enemies 
foaming  witU  rage  and  breathing  out  cruelty  ;  see 
him  there  accomplishing  what  none  but  he  could 
perform,  and  bearing  a  load  of  human  guilt  and 
sorrow,  more  vast  and  dreadful  than  any  tongue 
can  tell.  See  this,  and  learn  the  value  of  your  soul 
more  strongly  than  a  whole  creation  could  repre- 
sent it  to  you.  O,  that  I  could,  with  the  arnest- 
ness  of  a  dying  man,  urge  upon  you  the  worth  of 
a  soul  ransomed  by  such  a  price!  A  soul  lost  is 
more  than  a  world  destroyed.  Compared  with  this 
loss,  the  destruction  of  this  vast  world  will  be  a 
trifle.  Never  did  its  Creator  assume  human  nature, 
and  die  for  its  preservation  from  the  final  flames ; 
but  O,  a  spirit,  an  immortal  spirit,  a  spirit  for  which 
Jesus  died,  if  this  is  lost,  what  ruin,  what  misery 
is  this!  You  gaze  upon  a  dying  world,  and  en- 
gaged with  its  trifles,  perhaps  forget  the  immortal 
visitant  within,  forget  that  you  have  a  soul  which 
shall  outlive  the  grasp  of  death,  the  bounds  of 
time  ;  but,  O,  forget  its  worth  no  more.  Well  might 
you  wonder  that  such  a  treasure  should  inhabit  a 
little  piece  of  breathing  clay.  And  can  it  be  to  you 
a  matter  of  little  moment,  whether  your  immortal 
soul  be  saved  or  lost?  Can  you  treat  this  as  a 
thing  of  small  importance,  when  the  great  God 
has  stooped  so  low,  and  resigned  so  much,  to  open 
for  you  a  way  to  happiness.  He  has  withheld 
nothing  that  was  needed  to  save  you.  No  higher, 
nobler  gift  did  heaven  itself  contain,  than  what  he 
gave.  Can  you,  will  you  any  longer  treat  that  sal- 
vation with  mdifference,  which  the  Son  of  God 
freely  offers  you,  and  which  he  purchased  for  you 
at  tbe  expense  of  his  throne,  his  happiness,  and  his 
life?     O!  danger,  very,  very,  very  dreadful,  from 


94  THE    SOUL. 

which  such  a  Saviour  came  to  relieve  us !  O  bless- 
ed, blessed  salvation,  which  was  obtained  at  so  dear 
a  rate !  O  precious,  invaluably  precious  souls,  for 
which  such  a  price  was  paid  !  Such  a  soul  is  yours, 
you  have  one,  for  which  the  Son  of  God  in  torture 
died,  and  heaven  lost  its  bright  inhabitant.  Such  is 
the  value  which  God  has  set  upon  your  soul.  But 
dear  impenitent,  dying  man,  dying  youth,  how  have 
you  valued  it  ?  Perhaps,  if  poor,  you  have  labored 
earnestly  for  to-morrow's  bread,  but  never  spent  an 
hour's  care  on  your  immortal  soul  ;  or,  perhaps,  if 
in  easier  circumstances,  you  have  followed  dress, 
gaiety  and  pleasure,  careless  what  became  of  your 
soul  in  that  dreadful  eternity,  to  w^hich  it  hastes. 
O,  act  this  wretched  part  no  longer ;  but  now  make 
the  service  of  God  your  choice  ! 

"  As  thus,  in  the  most  affecting  manner,  the 
Father  and  the  Son  have  declared  the  value  of  the 
soul,  so  also,  learn  the  same  from  all  which  the 
blessed  Spirit  does  for  the  salvation  of  sinful  men. 
He  strives  with  them.  It  is  by  his  light  that  they 
discern  the  Father  and  the  Son.  Has  not  he  ex- 
erted his  power  in  your  hearts  ?  Have  not  you 
felt  those  convictions  of  sin  and  folly,  those  devout 
impressions,  and  salutary  desires,  which  really  came 
from  above  ?  Has  not  the  still  small  voice  within, 
as  it  were,  said  to  you,  '  turn  to  God ;  forsake  the 
world,  your  w^ays  lead  to  misery,  they  will  be  bit- 
terness in  the  end ;  trust  in  Christ  and  be  happy.' 
Have  not  you  banished  the  warnings,  and  quenched 
the  holy  thoughts  and  desires,  thus  given  you  from 
above  ?  Has  not  your  conscience  been  alarmed, 
and  these  impressions  repeated  again  and  again  1 
Why  does  the  blessed  Spirit  thus  strive  with  you  1 
Why  did  he  not  take  your  first  refusal,  and  leave 
you  forever  ?     Why  has  he  followed  you  wath  these 


THE    SOUL.  95 

salutary  warnings'?  Why  has  the  Holy  Spirit  be- 
stowed all  this  care  on  a  poor,  thoughtless,  ungrate- 
ful creature,  whose  heart  has  been  shut  against  his 
gentle  influences  ?  Why,  my  dear  friend,  but  be- 
cause he  wishes  you  well  forever  ?  God  would 
not  have  you  perish.  Shall  angels,  shall  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  all,  all  be  filled  with  con- 
cern for  the  welfare  of  your  soul,  and  will  you 
slight  that  soul  yourself  ? 

'•  If,  to  all  this  evidence  of  the  worth  of  your 
soul,  I  add  one  more,  it  shall  be,  that  even  the  mal- 
ice of  devils  may  teach  you  the  value  of  your  soul. 
You  are  taught  in  the  word  of  God,  that  Satan 
walketh  about  as  a  roaring  lion,  seeking  whom  he 
may  devour.  You  are  assured  that  he  comes  and 
takes  away  the  seed  sown  in  the  careless  heart :  and 
that  we  have  to  wrestle  with  the  rulers  of  the  dark- 
ness of  this  world.  The  word  of  God  represents 
his  power  as  great ;  his  influence  is  extensive  ; 
his  devices  are  many.  Some  he  tempts  to  pre- 
sumption, others  to  despair ;  and  in  a  thousand  dif- 
ferent ways  strives  to  keep  the  sons  of  men  fast  in 
his  hellish  chains.  But  though  the  devil  is  a  fallen 
and  infernal  spirit,  you  have  no  reason  to  doubt 
that  he  was  once  of  an  exalted  rank.  He  knows 
what  heaven  is,  for  he  has  lost  it ;  he  knows  what 
immortality  is,  for  he  is  doomed  to  it ;  and  his  arti- 
fices, his  assaults,  his  watchfulness,  his  activity,  in 
the  dreadful  work  of  de.struction.  prove  how  highly 
he  values  the  immortal  soul.  It  is  a  prize  which 
he  thinks  worth  his  care  and  labor.  Though  the 
sinner  may  be  negligent  and  slothful,  in  seekinj^ 
the  salvation  of  his  soul,  Satan  is  watchful  and  dili- 
gent in  seeking  its  destruction." 


96  THE    SOUL. 

A  prayer,  imploring  a  deeper  sense  of  the  value 
'  the  soul, 
riour's  care 


of  the  soul,  with  a  devout  committal  of  it  to  the  Sa- 


'•'  O  thou  Almighty  Father  of  spirits,  by  thee  this 
?urious  mortal  frame  of  mine  was  formed,  and  from 
thee  my  immortal  spirit  came.  I  know,  O  Lord, 
that  it  is  appointed  unto  all  men  once  to  die  ;  and  I, 
ere  long,  must  sink  beneath  the  stroke  of  death. 
These  hands  will  forget  to  labor.  These  eyes  will 
need  the  cheering  light  of  day  no  more.  This 
tongue  will  be  silent.  This  heart  will  be  filled 
with  fear  or  love  no  longer.  But,  O,  my  God! 
that  soul  which  thou  hast  made  the  tenant  of  this 
dying  frame,  must  defy  the  power  of  death  ;  must 
spring  forward  into  new  and  unknown  scenes; 
must  behold  the  glories  or  terrors  of  the  invisible 
v/orld  ;  while  eternity,  vast,  boundless,  joyful  or 
dreadful  eternity,  becomes  the  only  limit  of  my  suf- 
fering or  happiness.  With  this  prospect  before  me, 
let  me  prize  my  soul  as  a  treasure,  compared  with 
which  all  the  treasures  of  a  thousand  worlds  were 
emptier  than  a  bauble  and  lighter  than  vanity.  O, 
let  me  feel  its  worth  as  I  shall  do  on  the  bed  of 
death  !  O,  let  me  know^  its  value  as  they  have  done 
who  gladly  bore  prisons,  and  flames,  and  martyr- 
dom, in  every  dreadful  form,  that  they  might  but 
keep  their  immortal  spirits  safe  beneath  their  Re- 
deemer's care  ;  and  who  thought  all  their  sorrows 
well  repaid,  by  landing  on  the  peaceful  shore  of 
heaven !  O,  let  me  feel  the  value  of  my  immortal 
soul,  as  they  have  done  who  have  trifled  with  theirs 
till  their  day  of  grace  was  gone,  and  who  then,  in 
confusion,  and  agony,  and  horror,  bewailed  their 
dreadful  sin  !  Lord,  may  I  learn  from  the  joyful 
or  sad  experience  of  others,  not  to  slight  thy  love ! 


THE    SOUL.  97 

Thou  hast  cared  for  my  eternal  welfare,  and  thought 
no  sacrifice  too  costly  when  the  happiness  of  my 
immortal  soul  was  at  stake.  Let  endless  praise  be 
paid  thee  for  thy  condescending  kindness,  praises 
as  lasting  and  as  fervent  as  thy  love.  Bless  the 
Lord,  0  my  soul,  who  redeemed  thy  life  from  de- 
struction. And  now,  0  Lord,  may  thy  Holy  Spirit, 
whose  grace  I  have  so  often  resisted,  whose  teach- 
ings I  have  so  often  slighted,  may  he  possess  this 
soul  of  mine,  and  make  it  a  temple  worthy  of  him- 
self. Shed  abroad  thy  sanctifying  influences  upon 
me,  implant  thy  grace  within  me,  and  train  up  my 
deathless  soul  for  that  holy  and  happy  world  where 
I  shall  never  be  tainted  with  sin.  or  feel  pain  or 
sorrow  more. 

Blessed  Jesus,  thou  hast  died  to  set  my  spirit  free 
from  condemnation  to  eternal  death.  And  take 
this  precious  jewel,  and  keep  it  safe  beneath  thy 
tender  care.  I  cannot  guard  it  from  its  ravenous 
foes.  They  seek  its  destruction  ;  but,  Almighty 
Saviour,  they  cannot  tear  the  soul  away  that  is 
lodged  within  thy  protecting  arms.  To  thee  would 
I  commit  mine.  It  is  the  purchase  of  thy  blood! 
and  thou  wilt  keep  what  I  commit  unto  thee. 
Guard  my  soul  from  every  foe,  while  I  am  a  pil- 
grim here ;  and,  in  my  departing  hour,  may  I  see 
heaven  opened,  and  expire  with  the  dying  prayer 
of  thy  martyr  on  my  lips,  '•'  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my 
spirit."     Amen. 


THE    SOUL. 

What  is  the  thing  of  greatest  price, 
The  whole  creation  round  ? — 

That  which  was  lost  in  paradise, 
That  which  in  Christ  is  found; 
9 


98  AN    IMMEDIATE    RECEPTION    OP 

The  soul  of  man — Jehovah's  breath — 
That  keeps  two  worlds  at  strife : 

Hell  moves  beneath  to  work  its  death, 
Heaven  stoops  to  give  it  life. 

God.  to  redeem  it.  did  not  spare 

His  well  belore'd  Son  ; 
Jesus,  to  save  it,  deign'd  to  bear 

The  sins  of  all  in  one. 

And  is  this  treasure  borne  below, 

In  earthen  vessels  frail  ? 
Can  none  its  utmost  value  know. 

Till  flesh  and  spirit  fail  ? 

Then  let  us  gather  round  the  cross, 
That  knowledge  to  obtain  ; 

Not  by  the  souFs  eternal  loss, 
But  everlasting  gain. 


THE  DOCTRINES  AND  PRECEPTS  OF  THE  BIBLE 

DEMAND    THE    CORDIAL    RECEPTION    OF   ALL 
TO    "WHOM    THEY    ARE    PUBLISHED. 

"  Every  one  of  tho.se,  who  hear  me,"  (said  Dr. 
Dwight,  at  the  close  of  a  sermon  from  Proverbs 
viii.  6 — ••  Hear,  for  I  wiH  speak  of  exceHent  things  ; 
and  the  opening  of  my  lips  shall  be  right  things  ;") 
"  is  a  creature  of  God.  an  accountable  creature,  an 
immortal  creature.  Every  one  is  bound  to  the 
grave,  and  the  judgment.  Every  one  is  a  can- 
didate for  heaven,  or  hell.  To  every  one  life  is  a 
day  of  trial.  On  your  conduct  in  this  life,  is  sus- 
pended your  destiny  in  that  which  is  to  come." 

All  of  3^ou,  also,  are  sinners.  You  have  oflended 
God.  You  have  broken  his  most  holy  law,  times 
innunierabJe,  with  a  bold  hand,  a  hard  heart,  and  a 


THE    GOSPEL    OUIJ    DU7T,  98 

blind  mind.  By  that  law  you  are  condemned,  and 
cannot  be  j  istified. 

Your  sins,  also,  are  gross  and  dreadful ;  not  per- 
haps scandalous,  and  such  as  cover  you  with  in- 
famy ;  but  such  as  have  been  committed  in  the 
meridian  day  of  the  Gospel,  against  the  distastes  of 
an  enlightened  conscience,  against  blessings  of 
high  moment,  daily  and  hourly  renewed.  Igno- 
rance of  your  Lord's  will  you  cannot  plead,  for  you 
have  known  it  from  early  life.  Leisure  for  under- 
standing it,  books,  instructions,  motives,  have  been 
supplied  to  you  with  a  munificent  hand.  Your 
allotments  in  life  have  been  mercifully  distributed 
by  the  great  benefactor.  He  has  called  to  you 
with  a  voice  of  unspeakable  kindness.  He  has 
charmed  you  with  continual  testimonies  of  parental 
love.  In  these  circumstances,  and  amid  so  many 
inducements  to  hear,  and  to  obey,  the  Saviour  of 
mankind  has  placed  himself  directly  before  your 
eyes,  suspended  on  the  cross,  and  expiring  in  ago- 
nies, to  atone  for  your  sins,  and  to  reconcile  you  to 
God.  He  has  offered  to  you  himself,  and  all  his 
blessings  ;  and  of  you  he  has  required  nothing,  but 
cordially  to  receive  him.  Instead  of  listening, 
there  is  but  too  melancholy  reasons  to  believe,  you 
have  turned  a  deaf  ear,  and  a  blind  eye,  to  all  that 
he  has  said,  and  done.  He  has  called,  but  you  have 
refused.  To  what  has  he  called  you?  To  purifi 
cation  from  sin,  to  forgiveness,  to  sanctification,  to 
the  attainment  of  the  everlasting  love  of  God,  to  the 
possession  of  heaven,  to  the  blessings  of  immortal 
life. 

But  he  knew,  that  your  hearts  were  harder  than 
the  nether  mili-stone.  He  therefore  sent  his  Holy 
and  good  Spirit  into  the  world,  to  enlighten  ymt 
minds ;  to  convince  you  of  your  guilt  and  danj^er 


100  AN    IMMEDIATE    RECEPTION    OF 

and  to  unfold  to  you  the  divine  excellence  of  tne 
Redeemer  ;  and  by  the  renovation  of  your  hearts 
to  persuade  you  to  embrace  him,  as  he  is  offered  to 
you  in  the  Gospel.  A  thousand  times  has  this 
glorious  agent  awakened  in  your  minds  a  solemn 
sense  of  their  worth,  and  their  immortality;  led  you 
to  serious  reflections  on  your  guilt,  excited  in  you 
alarming  apprehensions  concerning  death,  and  the 
judgment ;  and  prompted  you  to  sober  resolutions 
of  repentance,  and  reformation. 

All  these  benevolent  efforts  you  have  resisted. 
All  the  grace  of  the  Gospel,  all  the  benevolent 
offers  which  Christ  has  made  you,  all  his  merciful 
invitations  and  promises,  you  have  rejected.  On 
his  cross  you  have  cast  contempt.  To  his  character 
you  have  been  hostile.  You  have  grieved  the 
Spirit  of  his  grace.  You  have  loronged  your  own 
souls. 

Still  you  are  bound  to  eternity.  You  must  die  ; 
you  wnll  be  judged  ;  you  will  be  rewarded  accord- 
ing to  your  ivorks.  "  Consider  this,  ye  that  forget 
God  ;  lest  he  tear  you  in  pieces,  and  there  be  none 
to  deliver." 

In  this  solemn,  this  exposed  situation,  immeasura- 
bly interesting  to  every  one  of  you.  what  measures 
will  you  take?  Remember,  that,  whatever  you 
may  think  proper  to  do,  God  will  take  his  own 
measures.  You  may  wish,  that  he  would  do  other- 
wise. You  may  hope,  you  may  believe,  you  may 
determine,  that  he  will  bend  his  purposes,  so  as  to 
make  them  more  palatable  to  you.  Under  this 
determination,  and  with  these  hopes,  you  may  feel 
yourselves  safe ;  and  say,  "  Peace,  peace,  when 
there  is  no  peace."  The  providence  of  your  Maker, 
whatever  you  may  wish,  or  believe,  will  move  on 
uninterruptedly,  and  immutably,  to  the  accomplish* 


THE  GOSPEL  OUR  DUTY.  101 

rncnt  of  every  one  of  his  purposes;  and  of  these, 
which  respect  your  salvation,  and  your  perdition, 
as  truly  as  any  other.  When  you  come  to  th.e 
regions  of  wo  ;  with  what  anguish  will  you  look 
back  upon  your  present  life,  and  wish,  that  you  had 
now  listened  to  the  call  of  mercy,  that  you  had  been 
roused  from  this  sleep  of  death,  and  obtained  life 
from  the  hands  of  the  Saviour  !  It  is  not  necessary, 
Ihat  every  man  should  be  learned  in  theology. 
But  it  is  necessary  that  every  man  should  be  a 
Christian.  The  souls  of  the  learned  and  the  un- 
learned, are  alike  immortal  ;  and  are  alike  destined 
to  endless  happiness,  or  endless  misery.  How  will 
you  acquire  this  glorious  blessing,  and  escape  this 
absolute  ruin?  There  is  but  one  path,  which  has 
hitherto  conducted  ;  there  is  but  one  path,  which 
will  ever  conduct  mankind  to  eternal  life.  This 
has  been  pointed  out  by  the  finger  of  God,  and  was 
never  discovered  by  human  philosophy.  The  cell 
of  infidel  philosophy  is  dug  beneath  the  ground  ; 
is  dark,  cold,  and  comfortless,  and  was  never  visited 
by  the  sunshine  of  heaven.  The  miserable  rush- 
light which  glimmers  along  its  walls,  scarcely 
enables  this  goddess  of  man's  creation,  to  distinguish 
her  own  footsteps  around  the  dreary  cavern,  and 
shows  no  avenue  to  the  world  above.  Here  no 
celestial  messenger  ever  arrived,  and  no  tidings 
from  that  world  was  ever  announced.  Here  God 
is  neither  worshipped,  loved,  or  known  ;  the  voice 
of  mercy  was  never  heard,  and  salvation  was  never 
proclaimed,  sought,  nor  found. 

The  Gospel,  at  an  immeasurable  distance  frorr 
this  desolate  mansion,  is  the  garden  of  Eden  in  its 
first  beauty.  Here  Jehovah  manifests  himself  in 
the  Shechinah,  (visible  presence,)  as  of  old  he 
caused  the  glory  of  his  presence  to  dwell  at  the 
9* 


102  AN    IMMEDIATE    RECEPTION    OF 

east  of  Paradise  above  the  cherubim.  Here  his 
answers  are  given  to  the  inquiring  penitent.  Here 
angels  are  again  heard  "  praising  God,  and  saying, 
Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  peace  on  earth,  and 
good  will  towards  men."  Here  the  Saviour  is 
born,  "  and  publishes  the  glad  tidings  of  great 
joy."  Here  the  Spirit  of  God  fixes  his  divine 
abode,  and  sheds  piety,  and  peace,  and  faith,  and 
hope  upon  the  assembly  of  the  first-born.  Here, 
finally,  commences  "  the  highway  of  holiness," 
which  leads  directly  to  the  regions  of  immortality. 

Who,  in  this  house,  can  contemplate  these  things 
without  the  strongest  emotions  ?  Who  can  behold 
his  all  at  hazard,  his  soul,  his  eternal  well-being  at 
stake,  without  inexpressible  anxiety  ?  Life  and 
death,  both  eternal,  are  here  the  objects  of  choice. 
Whose  bosom  mu.-t  not  thrill,  whose  heart  must 
not  throb  when  famishing  with  thirst,  and  perishing 
with  hunger,  he  hears  a  voice  from  heaven,  calling 
directly  to  himself,  "  Ho  !  every  one  that  thirsteth, 
come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money, 
Gome  ye,  buy  and  eat  ;  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and 
milk  without  money,  and  without  price."  With 
what  transport  will  he  learn  that  the  voice  which 
conveys  this  delightful  invitation,  is  the  voice  of 
the  Son  of  God  !  Must  not  his  soul  expand  with 
ecstacy,  to  see  the  Almighty  arm  of  this  glorious 
Person  stretched  out  to  seize  him,  while  walking 
on  the  brink  of  perdition,  and  convey  him  to  the 
world  of  joy  ? 

On  the  brink  of  perdition  every  sinner  in  this 
house  is  walking  at  the  present  moment.  The 
only  way  back  to  eternal  life,  the  only  safety,  the 
only  hope,  is  found  in  the  Gospel.  Strive  therij 
with  all  possible  earnestness  to  "  enter  in  at  the 
straight  gate,"   which   stands  at  the  head  of  this 


THE  GOSPEL  OUR  DUTY.  103 

delightful  path.  Now  the  gate  is  open ;  soon,  to 
you,  it  will  be  shut.  Now  the  path  is  illuminated 
by  the  sun  of  righteousness ;  soon  it  will  be  lost 
in  interminable  darkness.  Now  heaven  invites 
you  to  enter  in  and  he  saved.  Soon  its  doors  will 
be  closad  forever.  Now  God  is  reconcilable  to 
you  ;  the  Saviour  proffers  himself,  and  all  his 
blessings,  to  your  acceptance,  and  the  Spirit  of 
grace  is  waiting  to  renew  you  to  repentance.  How 
soon  will  all  these  blessings  retire  beyond  youi 
reach,  the  hope  of  salvation  set,  to  rise  no  more, 
and  the  voice  of  mercy  be  dumb  forever  ! 

WATCH   AND   PRAY. 

Go,  watch  and  pray ;  thoa  canst  not  tell 

How  near  thine  hour  may  be; 
Thou  canst  not  know  how  soon  the  bell 

May  toll  his  notes  for  thee : 
Death's  countless  snares  beset  thy  way ; 
Frail  child  of  dust  go  watch  and  pray. 

Fond  youth,  while  free  from  blighting  care, 

Does  thy  firm  pulse  beat  high  ? 
Do  hope's  glad  visions,  bright  and  fair, 

Sparkle  before  thine  eye  ? 
Soon  these  must  change,  must  pass  away ; 
Frail  child  of  dust  go  watch  and  pray. 

Ambition,  stop  thy  panting  breath ; 

Pride  sink  thy  lifted  eye ! 
Behold  the  caverns  dark  with  death 

Before  you  open  lie  ! 
The  heavenly  warning  now  obey  ; 
Ye  sons  of  pride  go  watch  and  pray. 

Thou  aged  man  !  life's  wintry  storm 

Hath  sear'd  thy  vernal  bloom : 
^Vith  trembling  limbs  and  wasting  form 

Thou'rt  bending  o'er  the  tomb : 
And  can  vain  hope  lead  thee  astray ! 
Go!  weary  pilgrim,  watch  and  pray? 


104        DANGER    OF    MAKING    LIGHT    OF    CHRIST. 


THE  D.1.NGER  OF  MAKING  LIGHT  OF  CHRIST  AND 

S.iLVATlON. 

"  And  they  made  light  of  it."— Matt,  xxiii.  5. 

"  There  is  not  one  of  us  that  has  heard  anything, 
but  what  has  heard  of  Christ  and  salvation.  There 
is  not  one  of  us  but  what  has  the  rich  blessings  of 
the  Gospel  freely  and  repeatedly  offered  to  us  ;  there 
is  not  one  of  us  but  stands  in  the  most  absolute  i>eed 
of  these  blessings,  and  must  perish  forever  without 
them  ;  I  wish  I  could  add,  there  is  not  one  of  us  but 
has  cheerfully  accepted  them  according  to  the  offer 
of  the  Gospel.  But  alas!  multitudes  in  our  day 
make  light  of  Christ  and  the  invitations  of  the  Gos- 
pel, as  the  Jews  did  in  the  days  of  our  Saviour. 

"  Oh,  sirs,  you  know  not  what  it  is  that  you  slight, 
when  you  make  light  of  Christ  and  salvation.  Had 
you  known  what  Jesus  is,  you  would  not  have 
made  light  of  him  ;  he  would  have  been  to  you 
the  most  important  being  in  the  universe.  Ah ! 
had  you  been  but  one  day  in  heaven,  and  seen  and 
felt  the  happiness  there !  or  had  you  been  but  one 
hour  under  the  apronies  of  hell,  you  could  never 
more  have  trifled  vrith  salvation. 

'•  They  are  no  trifling^  or  jesting  matters  the  Gos- 
pel speaks  of  1  profess  to  you  that  when  I  have 
the  most  serious  thoughts  of  these  things,  I  am 
ready  to  wonder  that  such  amazing  matters  do  not 
overwhelm  the  souls  of  men.  Oh,  that  men  did 
but  know  what  everlasting  glory  and  everlasting 
torments  are,  would  they  then  hear  us  as  they  do  ? 
Would  they  read  and  think  of  these  things  as  they 
rlo  ?     I  profess  I  have   been  ready  to  wonder  when 


DANGER    OF    MAKING    LIGHT    OF    CHRIST.       105 

I  hare  heard  such  weighty  things  delivered,  he  w 
people  can  forbear  crying  out  in  the  congregation, 
and  much  more  do  I  wonder  how  they  can  rest 
till  they  have  gone  to  their  ministers  and  learned 
what  they  shall  do  to  be  saved.  Oh,  that  heaven 
and  hell  should  work  no  more  upon  men !  Oh, 
that  eternity  should  work  no  more  !  Oh,  how  can 
you  forbear,  when  you  are  alone,  to  think  with  your- 
selves what  it  is  to  be  everlastingly  in  joy  or  tor- 
ment !  I  wonder  that  such  thoughts  do  not  break 
your  sleep,  and  that  they  do  not  crowd  into  your 
minds  when  you  are  about  your  labor.  Oh,  sirs, 
how  can  you  have  any  quietness  in  your  minds  ? 
How  can  you  eut,  or  drink,  or  rest,  till  you  have 
got  some  ground  of  everlasting  consolation  ?  Is 
that  a  man  or  a  corpse,  that  is  not  affected  with  mat- 
ters of  this  moment  ?  that  can  be  readier  to  sleep 
than  tremble,  when  he  hears  how  he  must  stand  a; 
the  bar  of  God  ?  Is  that  a  man,  or  a  clod  of  clay, 
that  can  rise  up  and  lie  down  without  being  deeply 
affected  with  his  everlasting  state  ?  that  can  follow 
his  worldly  business,  and  make  nothing  of  the  great 
business  of  salvation  or  damnation,  and  that  when 
he  knows  it  is  so  hard  at  hand  ?  Truly,  when  I 
think  of  the  weight  of  the  matter,  I  wonder  at  the 
best  saints  upon  earth,  that  they  are  no  better,  and 
do  no  more  in  so  weighty  a  case. 

"  Consider,  sirs,  whose  salvation  it  is  you  make 
light  of  It  is  your  own.  And  do  you  not  care 
what  becomes  of  your  own  selves  ?  Is  it  nothing 
to  you  whether  you  be  saved  or  damned  forever  ? 
Is  the  natural  principle  of  self-love  extinct  in  you  ? 
Have  you  no  concern  for  your  own  preservation  1 
Are  you  commenced  your  own  enemies  ?  If  you 
slight  Christ  and  love  sin,  you  virtually  love  death. 
Prov.  viii.  36      You  may  as  well  say,  "  I  will  live^ 


106        DANGER    OF   MAKING    LIGHT   OF    CHRIST. 

and  yet  neither  eat  nor  drink,"  as  say,  "  I  will  go 
to  heaven,  and  yet  make  light  of  Christ."  And 
you  may  as  well  say  this  in  words  as  by  your 
practice. 

"  Consider  again,  your  sin  is  aggravated  by  pro- 
fessing to  believe  that  Gospel  you  make  light  of. 
For  a  professed  infidel  that  does  not  believe  the 
Scripture  revelation  concerning  Christ  and  a  future 
state  of  rewards  and  punishments,  for  such  a  one 
to  be  careless  about  these  things,  would  not  be  so 
strange :  but  for  you,  that  make  these  things  your 
creed,  and  a  part  of  your  religion,  for  you,  that  call 
yourselves  Christians,  and  have  been  baptized  into 
this  faith ;  for  you,  I  say,  to  make  light  of  them, 
how  astonishing  !  how  utterly  inexcusable  !  What! 
believe  that  you  shall  live  forever  in  the  most  per- 
fect happiness  or  exquisite  misery,  and  yet  take  no 
more  pains  to  obtain  the  one,  an'd  escape  the  other? 
What !  believe  that  the  great  and  dreadful  God 
will  shortly  be  your  judge  and  yet  make  no  more 
preparation  for  it? 

Again.  '•'  Consider,  sirs,  what  those  things  are 
which  engross  your  affections,  and  which  tempt 
you  to  neglect  Christ  and  your  salvation.  Have 
you  found  out  a  better  friend,  or  a  more  substantial 
and  lasting  happiness  than  his  salvation  ?  O  !  what 
trifles  and  vanities,  what  dreams  and  shadows  are 
men  pursuing,  while  they  neglect  the  important  re- 
alities of  the  eternal  world  !  If  crowns  and  king- 
doms, if  all  the  riches,  glories,  and  pleasures  of 
the  world  were  insured  to  you  as  a  reward  for  ma- 
king light  of  Christ,  you  would  even  then  make 
the  most  foolish  bargain  possible;  for  what  are 
these  in  the  scale  to  eternal  joy  or  eternal  tempest  ? 
And  what  shall  it  'profit  a  man  if  he  gain  the  whole 
world  and  lose  his  awn  soul?     Alas!  what  does  the 


DANGER    OF    IMAKING    LIGHT    OF    CHRIST.       107 

wchest,  the  highest,  the  most  voluptuous  sinner, 
what  does  he  do,  but  lay  up  treasures  of  wrath 
against  the  day  of  wrath?  O,  how  will  the  un- 
happy creatures  torture  themselves  forever  with 
the  most  cutting  reflections  for  selling  their  Saviour 
and  their  souls  for  such  trifles  ! 

"Your  making  light  of  Christ  and  salvation  is 
a  certain  evidence  that  you  have  no  interest  in  them. 
Christ  will  not  throw  himself  and  his  blessings 
away  upon  those  that  do  not  value  them.  '  Those 
that  honor  him  he  will  honor ;  but  they  that  despise 
him  shall  be  lightly  esteemed.'  There  is  a  day 
coming,  when  you  will  feel  you  cannot  do  without 
him ;  when  you  will  feel  yourselves  perishing  for 
want  of  a  Saviour  ;  and  then  you  may  go  and  look 
for  a  Saviour  where  you  will ;  then  you  may  shift 
for  yourselves  as  you  can ;  he  will  have  nothing 
to  do  with  you  ;  the  Saviour  of  sinners  will  cast 
you  oflT  forever.  I  tell  you,  sirs,  whatever  estimate 
you  form  of  all  these  things,  God  thinks  very  highly 
of  the  blood  of  his  Son,  and  the  blessings  of  his 
purchase  ;  and  if  ever  you  obtain  them,  he  will  have 
you  thmk  highly  of  them  too.  If  you  continue 
to  make  light  of  them,  all  the  world  cannot  save 
you.  And  can  you  find  fault  with  God  for  denying 
you  that  which  was  so  little  in  your  account  ? 

"  The  time  is  hastening  when  you  will  not  think 
so  slightly  of  Christ  and  salvation.  O,  sirs,  when 
God  shall  commission  death  to  tear  your  guilty 
souls  out  of  your  bodies,  when  devils  shall  force 
you  away  to  the  place  of  torment,  when  you  find 
yourselves  condemned  to  everlasting  fire  by  that 
Saviour  whom  you  now  neglect,  what  would  you  then 
give  for  a  Saviour  ?  When  divine  justice  brings  in 
his  heavy  charges  against  you,  and  you  have  nothing 
to  answer,  how  will  you   then  cry,  '  O;  if  I  had 


108        DANGER    OF   MAKING    LIGHT    OF    CHRIST. 

chosen  Jesus  for  my  Saviour,  he  would  have  an 
swered  all !' 

"  When  you  see  that  the  world  has  deserted  you, 
that  your  companions  in  sin  have  deceived  them- 
selves and  you,  and  all  your  merry  daj'S  are  over 
forever,  would  you  not  then  give  ten  thousand 
w^orlds  for  Christ  ?  And  will  you  not  now  think 
him  worthy  of  your  esteem  and  earnest  pursuit  ? 

"And  now,  dear  immortal  souls!  I  have  disco- 
vered the  danger  of  this  common  but  unsuspected 
sin,  making  light  of  Christ.  I  have  delivered  my 
message,  and  now  I  must  leave  it  with  you,  implor- 
ing the  blessing  of  God  upon  it.  I  cannot  follow 
you  from  place  to  place  to  see  w^hat  effect  it  has 
upon  you,  or  make  application  of  it  to  each  of  you 
in  particular ;  but,  O,  may  your  consciences  under- 
take this  office!  Whenever  you  spend  another 
prayerless,  thoughtless  day,  whenever  you  give 
yourselves  up  to  sinful  pleasures,  or  an  over-eager 
pursuit  of  the  world,  may  your  conscience  become 
your  preacher,  and  sting  you  with  this  expostula- 
tion ;  '  Alas !  is  this  the  effect  of  all  I  have  heard  ? 
Do  I  still  make  light  of  Christ  and  the  concerns 
of  religion  ?  Oh,  what  will  be  the  end  of  such 
conduct  ?'  I  cannot  but  fear  after  all,  that  some  of 
you,  as  usual,  will  continue  careless  and  impeni- 
tent. Well,  when  you  are  suffering  the  punish- 
ment of  this  sin  in  hell,  remember  that  you  were 
warned,  and  acquit  me  from  being  accessary  to  your 
ruin.  And  when  we  all  appear  before  the  su- 
preme Judge,  and  I  am  called  to  give  an  account 
of  my  ministry :  when  I  am  asked  '  Did  you  warn 
these  creatures  of  their  danger  ?  Did  you  lay  be- 
fore them  their  guilt  in  making  light  of  these 
things  V  You  will  allow  me  to  answer,  •  Yes, 
Lord,  I  warned  them  in  the  best  manner  I  could 


JONAH    IX    THE    SHIP.  109 

but  they  would  not  believe  me ;  they  would  not  re- 
gard what  I  said,  though  enforced  by  the  authority 
3f  thy  awful  name,  and  confirmed'  by  thine  own 
tvord.'  O,  sirs,  must  I  give  this  accusation  against 
any  of  you  ?  No,  rather  have  mercy  upon  your- 
selves, and  have  mercy  upon  me,  that  I  may  give 
an  account  of  you  with  joy  and  not  with  grief." 
President  S.  Davie& 

To-day,  if  ye  "will  hear  his  voice, 
Now  is  the  time  to  make  your  choice ; 
Say,  will  you  to  Mount  Zion  go  ? 
Say,  will  you  have  this  Christ  or  no? 
Ye  wandering  souls  who  find  no  rest. 
Say,  will  you  be  for  ever  blessed  ? 
Will  you  be  saved  from  sin  and  hell  ? 
Will  you  with  Christ  and  glory  dwell  ? 
Come  now,  dear  youth,  for  ruin  bound. 
Obey  the  Gospel's  joyful  sound  : 
Come,  go  with  us,  and  you  shall  prove 
The  joy  of  Christ's  redeeming  love. 
Once  more  we  ask  you,  in  his  name — 
For  yet  his  love  remains  the  same  ; 
Say,  will  you  to  Mount  Zion  go  ? 
Say,  will  you  have  this  Christ  or  no  ? 
Leave  all  your  sports,  and  glittering  toys, 
Come,  share  with  us  eternal  joys  : 
Or  must  we  leave  you  bound  to  hell — 
Then,  dear  young  friends,  a  long  larewelL 


JONAH  IN  THE  SHIP. 

"  We  read  in  the  fourth  verse  of  the  book  of  Jonah 
and  first  chapter,  of  God's  displeasure  in  Jonah'j 
punishment   for  disobeying  his  command.      'But 
10 


110  JONAH   IN    THE    SHIP. 

the  Lord  sent  out  a  great  wind  into  the  sea,  and 
there  was  a  mighty  tempest  so  that  the  ship  was 
like  to  be  broken.'  This  should  lead  those  who 
go  down  to  sea  in  ships,  to  consider  that  the  Lord 
is  the  sole  commander  of  the  sea,  and  that  the  wmda 
do  not  arise  accidentally,  but  they  have  their  com- 
mission from  God ;  for  although  Jonah  did  not,  o: 
wicked  seamen  will  not  obey  God's  command,  the 
winds  do.  The  Lord  sent  a  messenger  in  a  storm 
after  a  rebellious  prophet.  The  winds  and  the  seas 
are  God's  servants.  O,  let  seamen  tremble  at  this. 
God  can  cause  these  his  servants  to  execute  his  will 
upon  them  when  he  pleaseth.  It  is  the  great  sin 
of  such  persons,  that  they  look  no  higher  than 
second  causes.  Ever}"  storm  when  you  are  at  sea, 
should  read  you  a  lecture  of  God. 

"  They  should  further  consider — that  guih  can- 
not flee  from  God:  he  can  quickly  overtake  it. 
O  tremble,  poor  seamen,  when  you  go  out,  to  think 
of  carrying  unpardoned  guilt  abroad  with  you. 

'*  It  is  said  in  the  fifth  verse — '  Then  the  mariners 
were  afraid.'  It  is  not  the  passengers,  but  the 
mariners  were  afraid.  They  are  the  hardiest  and 
most  undaunted  of  men  ;  being  so  frequently  in 
these  deaths  and  dangers,  they  little  regard  them. 
And  yet  these  persons,  who  used  to  encourage  the 
poor  trembling  passengers,  are  now  afraid.  They 
had  probably  been  in  many  storms  before :  but 
now  their  hearts  fail  them.  This  storm  made 
them  lower  their  top-sails  of  courage  and  self-confi- 
dence. 

"  The  effect  was,  every  one  cried  to  his  God,  which 
argues  the  greatness  of  their  fears.  It  may  be, 
swearing  by  their  gods  had  been  their  practice,  but 
now  it  is  praying  to  them.  Storms  will  change 
mariners'  notes,  will  make  them  serious,  and  turn 


JONAH    IN    THE    SHIP.  Ill 

their  sweaiing  into  praying-.  It  is  said  they  cried  ; 
which  denotes  the  earnestness  of  their  spirits,  as 
persons  in  the  utmost  distress.     It  is  further  said, 

*  they  cast  forth  the  wares  that  were  in  the  ship 
into  the  sea  to  lighten  it.'  which  still  spoke  the 
greatness  of  their  fears.  This  is  one  of  the  last 
things  you  do  at  sea  to  save  your  lives. 

"  Storms  of  danger  cause  storms  of  fear.  These 
mariners  were  poor  blind  heathens,  as  you  see  by 
their  praying  to  their  different  gods.  Now,  if  the 
glimmering  light  of  nature  made  them  afraid  lest 
they  should  perish,  well  may  poor  sinful  seamen, 
who  have  the  light  of  the  Gospel,  be  afraid  when 
they  come  into  storms,  and  feel  conviction  from  it 
in  their  hearts,  knowing  that  if  they  suffer  ship- 
wreck in  a  storm,  uninterested  in  Christ,  they  shall 
perish,  body  and  soul  forever.  To  be  sinking  at 
sea,  and  have  no  bottom  for  the  poor  soul  to  build 
its  hopes  upon — to  be  launching  out  into  that  vast 
ocean  of  eternity  under  a  conviction  of  unpardoned 
sin  will  daunt  the  stoutest  mariner,  and  terrify  the 
most  hardened  sinner  in  the  world.  The  disciples 
in   a  storm,  earnestly  cried   out  to  their  Master, 

•  Carest  thou  not  that  we  perish  V  With  how 
much  greater  reason  may  profane  sinners,  in  storms 
and  dangers,  adopt  the  same  cry  lest  their  souls 
perish. 

'•  But  why  should  sinful  mEiriners  in  a  storm  be 
afraid  ? 

"  First.  Because  death  is  before  them.  It  is  said, 
then  the  mariners  were  afraid  !'  In  this  tremen- 
dous storm  they  saw  nothing  but  death  before 
thom.  Death  is  '  the  king  of  terrors ;'  and  when 
seamen  get  a  sight  of  him,  as  tney  do  in  a  heavy 
storm,  oh,  how  do  their  countenances  fall !  how  are 
their  notes  changed !      If  many  through  fear  of 


112  JONAH    IN    THE    SHIP. 

death,  are  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage,  well 
may  they  be  terrified  who  have  death  immediately 
in  view.  And  how  canst  thou,  poor  Christless  soul, 
even  think  of  facing  this  grim  sergeant,  death, 
whether  by  sea  or  land  1  Men  are  full  of  fears  in 
storms  and  dangers,  because  their  conscience  stings 
them.  Fear  chiefly  ariseth  out  of  guilt.  A  guilty 
conscience  is  as  a  thousand  witnesses.  Can  you, 
guilty  creatures,  deny  that  evidence  which  cries  out 
of  your  own  bosoms  1  and  will  not  this  fill  you 
with  dread  when  you  are  in  danger  ?  Jonah's  con 
science  when  awakened  flew  in  his  face.  I  know, 
says  he,  that  for  my  sake  this  great  tempest  is  upon 
us.  Conscious  guilt  will  cause  fear  to  stir  in  the 
heart.  You,  poor  seamen,  who  carry  unpardoned 
guilt  in  your  consciences  every  voyage  you  make  ; 
it  is  a  wonder  you  ever  return.  You  go  to  sea 
Christless,  and  you  return  Christless.  You  go  to 
sea  unpardoned,  and  you  return  unpardoned.  Re- 
member the  sinking  storm  will  come.  The  stroke 
of  death  will  come  at  last;  and  then  what  fears  will 
haunt  you  !  You  will  never  get  free  from  fears 
until  you  get  your  consciences  cleansed  by  the  blood 
of  Christ. 

"  2.  In  storms  of  danger,  eternity  is  before  them, 
and  therefore  they  are  afraid.  We  read  in  Rev. 
vi.  8,  of  one  riding  upon  a  pale  horse,  whose  name 
was  Death.  And  what  followed  in  his  train  ?  It 
is  said,  ^Hell  followed  him.'  And  are  you  not  con- 
vinced that  after  death  there  is  a  judgment  ?  and 
after  judgment  a  heaven  and  a  hell,  an  eternity  of 
happiness  or  perdition  ?  What  fit  and  natural 
meditations  would  such  as  the  following  be  for  you 
when  upon  the  great  deep !  What  is  the  vast 
ocean  to  eternity,  but  as  the  drop  of  the  bucket ! 
The  ocean  you  ;raverse  is  not  the  main ;  eternity 


JONAH    IN    THE    SHIP.  113 

is  the  main  sea.  Your  lives  are  your  voyages^ 
your  souls  are  your  vessels,  the  winds  of  prosperity 
or  adversity  are  your  gales,  but  eternity  is  your 
port.  If  you  get  in  well,  you  make  a  rich  voyage 
of  it ;  thy  soul  is  made  forever ;  if  not,  you  are 
lost  forever  !  How  are  mariners  afraid  when  they 
strike  in  going  in  !  What  fear  then  must  they 
have  who  are  sensible  that  they  have  eternity  be- 
fore them,  and  see  the  danger  of  not  getting  safe 
into  that  port ! 

'•  3.  This  fear  will  be  increased  when  sinners  are 
driven,  as  they  often  are,  by  storms  of  danger,  to  look 
into  the  state  of  their  hearts.  Conscience  then 
makes  quick  reflections  on  past  life,  and  the  inward 
state  of  the  soul,  which  will  naturally  excite  pain- 
ful fears.  '  Oh,  my  soul,  how  is  it  with  thee  ? 
What  hopes  hast  thou,  if  thou  shouldst  die  in  this 
storm  at  sea  ?  What  is  thy  state  for  eternity  1  Art 
thou  pardoned  and  interested  in  Christ  or  not  ?  I 
am  going  to  appear  before  the  Judge  of  the  quick 
and  the  dead  ;  Oh,  how  shall  1  stand  before  that 
tribunal  ?  How  shall  I  lift  up  my  face  in  his 
presence  ?  Can  such  a  wretch  as  I  stand  before  so 
holy  a  throne  V  In  such  a  situation,  will  many 
sinners  m  Zion  be  afraid,  and  fearfulness  surprise* 
the  hypocrites. 

"  Secondly.  Consider  the  use  to  be  made  of  that 
fear  which  is  excited  by  a  sense  of  danger.  Is  it 
so  that  dangers  at  sea  usually  bring  such  fears  with 
them  ?     Then, 

"  1.  Note  our  natural  security  and  stupidity,  that 
until  imminent  danger  ippears,  we  are  not  afraid. 
These  men  were  secure  till  the  storm  arose,  as  the 
old  world  was  before  the  flood  came.  Many  poor 
seamen,  and  other  sinners,  are  not  afraid  of  death 
or  hell,  till  they  be  at  the  door.  They  put  the 
10=* 


114  JONAH    IN    THE    SHIP. 

evil  day  far  from  them,  as  if  they  had  made  an 
agreement  with  hell  and  death.  Many  never  think 
whar  will  become  of  their  souls^  till  they  be  ready 
to  sink  in  the  sea,  or  till  they  lie  upon  a  death-bed. 
Is  not  this  dreadful  stupidity  ? 

"  2.  What  a  happy  condition  the  people  of  God 
are  in,  who  are  reconciled  to  Him ;  to  whom  he 
says,  '  Fear  not,  I  am  with  thee  ;'  and  has  ordered 
his  servants,  '  Say  ye  to  the  righteous,  it  shall  be 
■»vell  with  him.'  Isa.  iii.  10.  He  may  say  as  Da- 
vid did,  '  The  Lord  is  my  strength  and  my  salva- 
tion, whom  shall  I  fear  1  The  Lord  is  the  strength 
of  my  life,  of  whom  (or  of  what)  shall  I  be  afraid  V 
Psalms,  xxvii.  1.  'At  what  tune  I  am  afraid,  I  will 
trust  in  God !' 

"  3.  How  great  is  the  misery  of  those,  in  times 
of  danger,  who  are  out  of  Christ !  Oh,  how  are 
the  poor  souls  often  filled  with  fear  !  All  fear  hath 
torment :  but  how  do  the  fears  of  death  and  hell 
rack  and  torment  the  consciences  of  awakened  sin- 
ners !  Alas,  poor  seamen !  If  your  souls  be  out 
of  Christ,  they  will  sink  in  the  storm  before  your 
vessels,  and  you  will  have  nothing  to  bear  them 
up.  A  Christless  soul  is  not  fit  to  grapple  with 
danger. 

"  4.  Are  dangers  attended  with  such  fears  ? 
Then  let  mariners  bear  with  me,  while  I  exhort 
them  to  labor — to  live  so  on  land,  as  that  they  may 
be  above  fear  when  in  danger  at  sea.  This  is  the 
great  interest  of  your  souls.  Now  seek  after  that 
'repentance  which  is  unto  life.'  Beg  of  God  to 
give  you,  '  a  new  heart  and  a  right  spirit.'  '  Ac- 
quaint now  thyself  with  Him  and  be  at  peace.* 
Learn  now  to  maintain  communion  with  Him  ;  and 
then,  in  the  day  of  your  trouble,  you  may  hope  to 
call  upon  Him  with  success.      Then,   '  from  the 


JONAH    IN    THE    SHIP.  115 

ends  of  the  earth,'  you  may  cry  unto  Him,  ana  ne 
will  hear  you  and  deliver  you  from  all  your  fears. 

'•  5.  Would  you  be  above  storms  and  fears  at  sea? 
Carry  not  a  Jonah  in  the  vessel.  Carry  not  guilt 
with  you.  Guilt  will  sooner  or  later  raise  a  storm. 
You  see,  (in  the  book  of  Jonah,)  that  the  sea  was 
never  quiet,  while  Jonah,  the  guilty  person,  was  on 
board.  It  was  not  the  lightening  of  the  ship  that 
stilled  the  storm.  The  sea  still  wrought,  and  was 
very  tempestuous,  till  Jonah  was  cast  overboard  ; 
and  then  it  calmed.  Oh,  then,  let  every  sin  bb  cast 
out ;  and  let  your  guilt  be  cast  into  the  sea  of 
Christ's  blood :  then  all  will  be  calm  and  quiet. 

'•  6.  Would  you  be  above  fears  in  sea-dangers  ? 
See  that  your  anchor  be  rightly  cast.  '  Hope  is  the 
anchor  of  the  soul,'  as  the  Apostle  saith,  which  is 
'  sure  and  steadfast,  and  which  entereth  into  that 
within  the  vail,  whither  Jesus,  the  forerunner,  is 
for  us  entered.'  Heb.  vi.  19,  20.  Let  hope,  your 
fixed  anchor,  your  sheet-anchor,  be  cast  on  God  and 
Christ  in  heaven ;  and  it  will  preserve  you  safe,  and 
keep  your  vessel  steadfast  amidst  all  the  winds  and 
waves  of  this  tempestuous  sea. 

"  7.  ^"ould  you  be  safe  at  sea  and  out  of  fear  ? 
Carry  no  leaks  out  with  you  ;  I  mean,  known  sins, 
of  omission,  as  well  as  of  commission.  You  search 
your  vessels  narrowly,  to  see  if  you  can  spy  any 
leaks,  as  you  know  a  little  hole  in  a  ship  endan- 
gers all.  Oh,  that  you  would,  with  equal  care, 
search  into  the  state  of  your  souls,  that  you  may 
find  out  every  sin,  every  defect !  Say  not  of  any 
sin,  '  It  is  a  little  one,  and  my  soul  shall  live.'  The 
smallest  sin,  wilfully  indulged,  will  endanger  your 
soul's  salvation.  See  that  your  vessel  be  whole. 
Pray  with  David,  '  Let  my  heart  be  sou  ad  in  thy 
statutes.' 


116  JESUS     ]N    THE    SHIP. 

"  8.  If  you  would  be  above  fear,  in  times  of  dan- 
ger at  sea,  carry  Christ  in  the  vessel :  I  mean  in 
your  soul.  Secure  an  interest  in  Him  ;  seek  a  dis- 
covery of  that  interest ;  and  habitually  exercise  faith 
in  Him  as  your  Saviour.  When  Christ  was  once 
in  a  ship  with  his  disciples,  and  there  arose  a  severe 
storm,  so  that  they  went  to  him  in  great  terror,  ag 
he  was  asleep,  and  awoke  him,  saying,  '  Master, 
carest  thou  not  that  we  perish  V  he  arose,  and  re- 
buked the  winds:  and  said  unto  the  sea, '  Peace,  be 
still :  and  the  wind  ceased,  and  there  was  a  great 
calm  ;'  upon  which  he  said  unto  them,  '  why  are  ye 
so  fearful?'  Matth.  iv.  37—40.  Have  faith  in 
Him,  and  he  will  calm  the  tempests  of  the  soul. 
There  is  peace  and  joy  in  believing." 

London,  Sailors^  Magazine. 

Beset  with  dangers  and  with  fear, 
In  life's  uncertain  sea  I  steer  ; 
Saviour  divine !  diffuse  thy  Hght, 
O  Spirit,  guide  my  vessel  right. 

Engage  this  roving,  treacherous  heart, 
To  fix  on  Christ  the  better  part ; 
To  scorn  the  trifles  of  a  day. 
For  joys  that  none  can  take  away. 

Then  let  the  wildest  storms  arise  ; 
Let  tempests  mingle  earth  and  skies  ; 
No  fatal  shipwreck  shall  I  fear, 
But  all  my  treasures  with  me  bear 


JESUS  IN  THE  SHIR 

"  We  left    New- York  in  the  brig  Louisa,  .or 
Amsterdam,  May   27th,  1830.     Believing  it  to  b© 


JESUS    IN    THE    SHIP.  117 

my  duty  to  God  and  man,  to  warn  sinners  of  their 
danger,  and  finding  I  was  responsible  to  God  in  a 
great  measure  for  the  souls  of  my  crew — being 
perfectly  convinced  myself  of  the  danger  of  sin,  I 
resolved  by  the  help  of  God.  to  discharge  my  duty 
faithfully.  I  therefore  determined  to  have  divine 
worship  on  board  of  my  vessel  on  Sundays,  and 
prayer  every  evening.  Two  of  the  sailors  were 
professors  of  religion,  and  I  do  believe  sincere 
Christians.  We  commenced  our  meetings  on  Sun- 
day the  30th  ;  we  read  a  sermon  calculated  for  the 
purpose,  and  myself  and  two  men  joined  in  prayer. 
Our  meeting  was  very  interesting,  all  hands  at- 
tended. On  Monday  we  commenced  our  evening 
meetings.  Our  chief  mate  at  first  was  much  op- 
posed to  it,  he  supposing  once  a  week  was  suffi- 
cient. However,  he  attended  out  of  respect  to  me  : 
but  blessed  be  the  name  of  God,  before  the  meeting 
was  closed  he  was  brought  to  a  deep  conviction, 
and  on  the  14th  of  June,  he  found  that  Jesus  had 
power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins.  He  was  filled  with 
the  love  of  God,  and  added  to  our  number.  Before 
we  arrived  at  Amsterdam,  nearly  the  whole  crew 
were  under  convictions,  crying  to  the  Lord  for 
mercy.  We  found  God  was  blessing  our  labors, 
and  Jesus  was  precious  to  our  souls.  We  arrived 
at  Amsterdam  on  the  29th  of  June,  many  rejoicing 
in  God,  and  nearly  all  the  others  under  serious  and 
deep  impressions.  The  fourth  of  July,  while  other 
crews  were  ashore,  celebrating  the  day  in  drunken* 
ness  and  rioting,  our  crew  was  on  board  praising 
God,  and  a  glorious  day  it  was  ;  no  drinking  or 
blaspheming  there,  but  all  was  love  and  content* 
ment. 

"  We  left  Amsterdam  on  the  14th  of  July,  and  a 
glorious  time  we  had  homeward  bound.     All  on 


118  JESUS    iX    THE    SHIP. 

board,  with  the  exception  of  the  second  mate  ana 
two  men.  found  Jesus  precious  to  their  souls.  One 
man  got  his  soul  converted  on  the  main-top-gallant- 
yard.  We  returned  to  New  York  on  the  30th  of 
August,  with  nine  praying  souls  out  of  twelve  ; 
many  of  whom  when  they  left  New  York  instead 
of  praying  to  God  for  forgiveness  of  their  sins,  were 
calling  on  him  to  damn  their  souls.  I  never  in  all 
m}'  life  before,  experienced  such  a  happy  voyage  : 
alf  was  love  and  contentment — all  ship  duty  done 
faithfully,  and  with  much  activity.  It  appeared  as 
though  Jesus  was  continually  with  us  in  our  meet- 
ings. I  do  not  believe  that  I  was  ever  more  inter- 
ested in  any  meetings  than  m  those  we  had  on 
board  of  our  vessel.  We  were  almost  a  little  hea- 
ven on  the  water.  Several  of  those  that  got  religion 
had  neglected  their  parents  and  friends  for  a  long 
time,  but  now  felt  verj^  anxious  to  return  to  them  ; 
aud  I  beheve  they  did  return  like  the  prodigal  son 
to  his  Father's  house. 

'•  September  I7ih. — Left  New  York  on  another 
voyage  to  Amsterdam,  with  myself,  chief  mate, 
steward,  and  one  man,  professors  of  religion.  Find- 
ing God  had  blessed  our  endeavors  to  serve  him  on 
the  former  voyage,  we  commenced  our  meetings  as 
before  ;  and  of  all  the  pleasures  that  ever  we  found, 
we  never  found  any  like  the  pleasures  and  joy  we 
experienced  in  serving  the  Lord.  We  did  not  ex- 
pect to  have  the  same  success  at  all  times,  but  we 
were  resolved,  come  what  would,  we  with  God's 
help,  would  endeavor  to  use  the  small  spark  of 
grace  that  He  had  entrusted  with  us.  Accordingly 
we  commenced  our  meetings  with  a  very  wicked 
crew,  but  God  was  pleased  very  soon  to  send  his 
convincing  Spirit  among  them.  One  man  named 
Chester,  could  find  no  rest  for  several  days,  being 


JESUS    IN    THE    SHIP.  119 

SO  deeply  convicted,  until  God  was  pleased  to  re- 
move the  load,  and  fill  his  soul  with  heavenly  love. 
He  broke  out  in  an  ecstacy  praising  God,  and  warn 
ing  his  shipmates. 

"  Shortly  after,  another  seaman  that  had  been  a 
sot,  by  his  own  account,  nearly  all  his  life  and  had 
not  been  in  a  church  for  sixteen  years,  neither  did 
he  know  what  religion  meant,  was  brought  to  such 
a  deep  conviction  that  he  knew  not  what  to  do  with 
himself;  and  some  of  the  others  were  seriously 
impressed.  But  before  we  arrived  at  Amsterdam, 
God  set  his  soul  at  liberty,  and  he  rejoiced  in  the 
God  of  his  salvation. 

"  We  arrived  at  Amsterdam  with  two  souls  con- 
verted to  God,  and  some  others  seriously  impressed. 
While  in  port  we  held  our  meetings  as  usual. 
Masters,  mates,  and  some  seamen,  and  some  others 
from  the  shore  attended,  and  I  believe  it  was  the 
means  of  doing  much  good.  One  second  mate  of 
a  ship  was  brought  to  a  deep  conviction,  crying  to  the 
Lord  for  mercy,  and  several  others  were  deeply  im- 
pressed. On  Sunday  myself,  mate,  and  some  of 
the  crew,  went  on  board  the  ship  Columbia  of 
Philadelphia,  Captain  Siller,  who  was  a  pious  man 
and  a  professor  of  religion,  but  had  never  taken  up 
his  cross,  thinking  it  would  not  answer  on  board  of 
a  ship,  until  he  was  perfectly  convinced  of  the  con- 
trary by  the  conduct  of  our  crew,  which  was  noticed 
by  every  one  for  their  good  behavior,  and  discreet 
conduct.  He  then  commenced  his  meetings  for  the 
first  time,  and  boldly  and  decidedly  came  out  on  the 
Lord's  side  in  prayer  and  exhortation,  while  my- 
self, and  crew,  helped  him  in  this  glorious  cause. 

"  We  left  Amsterdam  and  arrived  at  New  York 
on  the  27th  of  December,  with  two  souls  converted, 
and  several  others  under  deep  conviction,  that  had 


120  JESUS    IN    THE    SHIP. 

not  received  the  blessing.  Although  some  of  the 
crew  continued  hardened,  they  were  always  obedi- 
ent, and  did  their  duty  without  murmuring,  being 
convinced  we  were  warning  them  for  their  good. 
And  when  they  left  the  vessel  the  wickedest  of 
them  returned  us  their  thanks  for  our  good  advice, 
and  asked  an  interest  in  our  prayers. 

"  February  2d. — We  left  New  York  for  Amster- 
dam, with  myself,  both  mates  and  steward,  profes- 
sors of  religion.  Men  being  scarce,  and  going  on 
a  winter's  voyage,  we  were  compelled  to  take  any 
that  offered.  Accordingly  we  shipped  our  crew, 
six  of  whom  had  sailed  together  before.  One  of 
these  men  I  did  not  like  the  appearance  of.  How- 
ever, I  knew  that  every  thing  was  possible  with 
God,  and  that  he  could  change  the  hardest  heart. 
We  commenced  our  meetings  as  before.  The 
crew,  after  telling  them  the  first  night  the  rules 
and  regulations  of  the  vessel,  were  all  surprised, 
and  as  they  have  termed  it  themselves,  '  were 
brought  up  all  standing  !'  I  continually  felt  sus- 
picious of  the  man  before  mentioned,  and  I  believe, 
if  any  people  ever  prayed  earnestl}'-  we  did,  that 
God  would  send  his  convincing  Spirit  among  these 
men.  We  soon  found,  as  before,  that  God  was 
ever  present,  and  several  of  the  crew  became  seri- 
ously alarmed.  On  the  13th.  this  man  that  I  felt 
"uspicious  of  in  the  morning,  while  at  the  helm, 
told  me  he  wished  me  to  stop  his  allowance  of  grog, 
as  he  never  meant  to  drink  any  more  as  long  as  he 
lived.  He  said  God  had  pardoned  his  sins.  I 
asked  how  he  knew — what  evidence  he  had.  His 
reply  was,  '  last  night,  while  you  were  praying,  my 
heart  gave  two  jumps  that  I  could  not  account  for. 
I  thought  I  prayed  earnestly,  but  when  1  went  on 
deck,  something  appeared  to  tell  me  that  I  was  not 


JESUS    IN    THE    SHIP.  121 

sincere,  and  [  could  find  no  rest.  I  went  on  the 
forecastle  and  prayed,  the  tears  falling-  in  streams 
from  my  eyes,  and  towards  the  conclusion  of  the 
last  prayer,  words,  or  something-  came  into  my 
mouth  and  said,  '  your  sins,  which  are  many,  are  all 
forgiven  ;  now  be  careful  to  glorify  God  forever- 
more,  and  mind  the  liquor!'  And  directly  he  fe] 
his  load  removed,  and  was  filled  with  love  and  joy 

"  Another  young  man  I  took  notice  of  for  sev 
eral  days  praying  earnestly  to  God.  At  length  his 
load  was  removed,  and  he  was  filled  with  love  and 
gratitude  to  God.  These  men  immediately  rejoiced 
in  their  Saviour,  and  begged  the  others  to  seek  this 
blessing. 

"  Shortly  after  another  young  man  who  had  been 
deeply  convicted,  and  could  find  no  rest,  but  was 
continually  crying  to  God,  with  a  broken  heart, 
got  released  of  his  burden,  and  rejoiced  in  the  God 
of  his  salvation.  Our  meetings  became  so  very 
interesting  and  so  full  of  the  Spirit,  that  I  could 
compare  them  to  nothing  but  a  floating  heaven  . 
we  were  filled  with  the  love  and  glory  of  God. 

"  We  arrived  at  Amsterdam  on  the  3d  of  March. 
Nothing  particular  occurred  there,  and  we  left  on 
the  26th.  On  our  passage  home,  another  of  our 
men  was  deeply  convicted,  and  could  find  no  rest. 
He  was  struck  with  so  much  terror  that  he  was 
afraid  every  moment,  that  God  would  cut  him  off. 
He  continued  in  that  state  for  several  days.  At 
length  the  Lord  relieved  him,  and  filled  his  soul 
with  love.  He  then,  like  all  the  others^  begged 
and  entreated  his  unconverted  shipmates  to  pray 
earnestly  for  this  blessing,  which  words  could  not 
describe. 

"  We  arrived  at  New  York  on  the  24th  of  April 
lastj  with  four  souls  truly  converted,  having  a  new 
U 


122  JESUS    IN    THE    SHIP. 

song  in  their  mouths  giving  glory  to  God.  Ona 
other  man  was  under  a  very  deep  conviction,  and 
had  been  so  for  a  long  time,  but  on  the  first  Tues- 
day after  our  arrival,  in  the  prayer-meeting,  God 
spoke  peace  to  his  soul.  The  two  others  that  did 
not  get  religion  on  the  voyage,  neither  did  they  ap- 
pear to  wish  to  have  it,  came  down  on  board  last 
Monday  and  Tuesday,  with  tears  in  their  eyes,  tell- 
ing me  they  now  began  to  see  their  past  folly,  and 
I  do  believe  they  were  strongly  convicted,  under  the 
sermon,  as  they  told  me,  that  Mr.  Chase  preached 
last  Sunday.  They  are  now  truly  penitent,  and 
have  no  desire  after  any  thing  but  religion.  To 
God  be  all  the  glory." — From  the  Journal  of  Cap- 
tain  Brewer. 

SOUNDINGS. 

To  Heaven  I'm  bound  with  presperous  gales, 
My  bark  by  grace  doth  safely  steer, 

And  going  under  gospel  sails, 
Celestial  prospects  bright  appear. 

To  sound  her  ground  my  faith  now  springs, 

And  to  her  Author  thus  she  sings — 

"  Thy  will  be  doneP 

As  bearing  up  to  join  the  port, 

A  blood-stained  cross  and  heaven  in  view, 

A  Saviours  wounds  my  harbor — fort— 
The  beacon — to  my  vessel  true  ; 

Again  my  faith  her  sounding  tries, 

And  to  my  soul's  sure  pilot  cries — 

"  A  blessed  hope." 

Now  as  the  blissful  shore  draws  near, 

With  transport  I  behold  the  place, 
Where  dwells  my  friend,  my  Saviour  dear, 

And  long,  with  joy,  to  see  his  face. 
Once  more  my  faith  now  tries  her  ground, 
And  thus  re-echoes  back  the  sound, 

"  Christ  is  my  rock." 


A    SAIL0B.'S    EXPERIENCE.  123 

When  to  her  berth  my  bark  draws  nigh, 
And  I  have  done  with  sails  and  tide, 

'•  Strong  is  my  cable,-'  then  I'll  cry, 
My  Anchor's  sure — I  safely  ride. 

No  more  my  soul  need  try  her  ground, 

Safe  at  her  moorings  she  is  found, 

And  '•  all  is  well." 


A  SAILOR'S  EXPERIENCE. 

'•  Being  called  upon  in  public  several  times  to 
relate  my  experience,  or  give  an  exhortation  to  sea- 
men, I  feel  it  my  duty  before  leaving  port,  lo  give 
an  answer  to  those  who  may  doubt  whether  I  have 
ever  passed  from  death  unto  life.  It  is  not  that  I 
desire  to  be  thought  righteous  by  men,  for  it  is  a 
small  thing  to  me  to  be  judged  of  men's  judgment. 
But  that  it  may  not  be  imagined  that  I  am  ashamed 
of  my  Master,  I  will  here  give  a  brief  sketch  of  the 
dealings  of  God  with  my  soul. 

"  My  father  was  a  seafaring  man,  and  died  in  the 
West  Indies  when  I  was  an  infant,  leaving  my 
mother  with  three  children,  of  whom  I  was  the 
youngest.  I  was  early  taught  the  Scriptures,  and 
that  of  course  they  were  true.  I  was  also  taught 
to  keep  the  Sabbath-day  holy,  and  was  subject  to 
serious  thoughts  when  but  a  child.  But  as  I  ad- 
vanced to  the  age  of  fifteen  or  sixteen  years,  this 
seriousness  wore  off.  I  was  exceedingly  ambitious, 
and  was  resolved  to  push  forward  to  the  highest 
post  of  my  profession  at  any  rate.  However,  I 
found  that  I  was  not  superior  to  my  shipmates,  and 
had  the  mortification  to  see  one  of  them  promoted 
Defore  me.     This  made  me  examine  myself  to  see 


124  A  sailor's  experience. 

wherein  I  was  deficient.  And  from  examining 
my  conduct  as  a  seaman,  I  got  to  examining  my 
heart — and  from  believing  myself  perfect  in  aL 
things,  I  found  that  I  was  poor,  and  miserable,  and 
blind,  and  naked,  and  lacked  one  thing  yet.  From 
novels  and  romances,  I  took  to  reading  my  Bible, 
which  heretofore  I  had  never  doubted,  but  thought 
that  when  it  spoke  of  the  wicked  who  should  bo 
turned  into  hell,  it  meant  not  me  who  had  lived  so 
upright  among  men.  Therefore  I  had  made  my- 
self quite  easy.  But  now  I  found  new  and  strange 
doctrines  contained  in  the  Bible.  It  seemed  strange 
that  all  men  oy  nature  were  under  condemnation. 
I  could  hardi^  believe  it.  In  fact  I  was  determined 
not  to  believe  it.  But  I  could  not  rest.  Perhaps  the 
Scriptures  were  true,  thought  I,  and  if  they  should 
be  where  should  I  go  ?  I  prayed  that  I  might  learn 
the  truth,  and  that  if  I  lived  to  return  home  I  might 
find  religious  companions. 

"  My  prayers  were  answered, — on  my  arrival  I 
was  introduced  to  a  few  young  converts,  who  had 
experienced  religion  while  I  had  been  gone  to  sea. 
When  they  related  their  experience  to  me,  I 
thought  they  were  poor,  weak-rifinded  creatures, 
because  I  thought  I  had  got  religion  without  any 
of  those  fiery  trials.  I  heard  many  good  sermons, 
and  went  to  sea  second  officer  of  a  ship,  which 
was  bound  on  a  whale  voyage  in  the  South  Seas. 
The  master  of  this  ship  was  a  professor  of  religion. 
On  this  voyage  I  was  again  disappointed.  I  was 
very  much  persecuted,  and  gave  up  all  hopes  of 
being  in  the  right  way.  I  believed  in  election  and 
reprobation,  and  thought  myself  a  castaway.  This 
took  such  an  effect  on  my  mind  that  it  seemed  im- 
possible for  me  to  survive  it.  I  could  scarcely  eat, 
drinkj  or  sleep ;  at  length  i  formed  a  resolution  to 


THE  sailor's  experience.  125 

die  (if  I  must  die)  on  my  bended  knees  begging 
for  mercy.  It  now  appeared  evident  to  me.  that  I 
had  been  endeavoring  to  take  religion  in  one  hand^ 
and  the  world  in  the  other,  and  that  it  was  necessary 
to  let  go  the  one  or  the  other — this  was  the  trying 
time  ;  for  although  I  would  have  given  ten  thou- 
sand such  worlds  as  this  for  a  hope  in  Christ  Jesus 
— yet  to  think  I  must  resign  all  my  ambitious 
hopes,  and  lie  child-like  at  the  feet  of  Jesus, — to 
think  that  I  could  not  bring  any  thing  to  my  Sa- 
viour to  recommend  me, — that  I  must  come  with 
my  heart  as  if  it  were  a  blank,  and  let  him  write  on 
it  what  he  would, — it  was  indeed  a  severe  trial. 
But  what  were  earthly  honors  and  pleasures  to  me, 
while  I  was  living  without  God  and  without  Christ 
in  the  world  1  Then  I  had  sinned  with  such  a  high 
hand  against  God,  how  could  he  forgive  me?  I 
knew  tl.dt  Christ  died  to  save  sinners,  but  I  scarcely 
dared  to  hope  for  mercy. 

"  At  length  He  spoke  comfort  to  my  soul — not 
however  until  I  was  willing  to  give  up  myself  a 
living  sacrifice, — not  until  I  could  go  to  him  as  a 
little  child,  having  no  desire  of  my  own,  excepting 
such  as  should  be  consistent  with  his  holy  will. 
When  this  was  the  case,  it  seemed  as  though  he 
certainly  had  heard  my  prayers — it  seemed  as 
though  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  had  pardoned  all 
my  sin — my  heart  leaped  for  joy — the  world  seemed 
like  a  bubble — I  would  fain  have  left  this  vale  of 
tears,  and  gone  to  the  feet  of  my  Saviour,  who  had 
redeemed  me  with  his  blood,  and  there  worshiped 
and  praised  him  forever.  But  I  must  stay  here, 
and  mortify  the  evil  nature  that  is  in  me — I  must 
fight  the  fight  of  faith — I  must  let  my  light  shine 
before  seamen. 

"  And   O !    how  far  I  have  fallen  short  of  my 


126  THE  sailor's  experience 

duty  !  It  cannot  be  expected  that  we  shall  all  be 
preachers,  but  I  feel  as  though  it  would  be  my 
highest  happiness  if  I  could  bring  souls  to  Christ. 
O,  if  1  could  say  something  to  sailors,  which  would 
be  for  their  everlasting  salvation  !  but  I  have  ques- 
tioned the  utility  of  such  weak  and  illiterate  crea- 
tures as  me  attempting  to  speak  in  public.  On 
ship-board  it  may  be  of  service,  and  perhaps  else- 
where, but  in  church  I  cannot  say. 

"  May  the  blessing  of  heaven  attend  your  min- 
istry, here  and  every  where  you  preach,  (Rev. 
M.  Winslow,  to  whom  this  communication  was  ad- 
dressed.) and  may  God  grant  you  many  souls  as 
seals  of  your  ser\nce,  and  crowns  of  rejoicing  in  the 
day  of  the  Lord.  May  this  w^orm  of  the  dust  find 
an  interest  in  your  prayers ;  and  may  we  all  re- 
member that  we  are  not  our  own,  and  that  we  are 
bought  with  a  price,  and  that  we  should  use  this 
world  as  not  abusing  it.  May  we  be  found  faithful 
unto  the  end — all  the  blessings,  both  temporal  and 
spiritual,  which  you  can  desire  or  receive,  I  pray 
may  attend  you  in  this  life,  and  glory  hereaftel 
hrough  Jesus  Christ.  D.  M.  B." 

THE  PIOUS  SAILOR  OX  HIS  NIGHTLY  WATCH. 

Sailor,  -when  on  the  wide-spread  deep 
At  helm  jou  nightly  vigils  keep, 

Act  well  the  seaman's  part : 
But,  can  you  the  high  heaven  survey, 
And  not  to  God  the  Father  pay 

The  homage  of  your  heart  ? 

While  you  behold  the  starry  sky^ 
Worship  that  Jesus  who  did  die 

For  guilt  here  to  atone  ! 
Think  how  his  precious  blood  was  shed 
To  raise  us  rebels  from  the  dead, 

He  paid  our  debt  alone ! 


THE    SAILOR'S    EXPERIENCE.  121 

"When^tlie  soft  zephyrs  gently  bloiv, 
Your  ship  on  the  calm  sea  does  go 

Towards  the  destined  port ; 
Then  the  blessed  Comforter  implore, 
To  guide  you  to  the  blissful  shore, 

And  to  your  Fathers  court 

"When  stormy  winds  tempestuous  blow, 
And  ocean's  waves  do  roaring  go, 

And  dark  the  night  appears  ; 
Then  to  the  Throne  of  God  draw  nigh, 
And  he  will  hear  your  humble  cry, 

To  save  from  every  fear. 

Sailor,  if  God  is  thus  your  friend, 
He  will  in  need  protection  lend, 

And  wipe  your  falling  tear: 
And  lead  you  through  the  stormy  deep; 
He  will  your  soul  in  safety  keep. 

In  trouble  will  be  near. 

When  in  the  east  horizon  clear 
You  see  the  morning  star  appear, 

To  cheer  the  night — then  sing  I 
O,  think  of  Bethlehem's  bright  star. 
Which  eastern  sages  saw  afar, 

It  led  them  to  your  King. 

When  in  the  orient  hemisphere 
The  glorious  sun  you  see  appear, 

To  give  the  nations  day ; 
O  think  of  Jesus  !  that  bright  sun, 
Whose  everlasting  course  will  run. 

Perfection  to  display. 

Then,  pious  sailor,  you  will  shine, 
Drest  in  your  Saviours  robe  divine 

Of  glory  full  possessed ; 
O  how  the  vaulted  heavens  will  ring, 
When  in  full  chorus  saints  will  sing, 

And  be  forever  blest. 


128  THE  sailor's  last  letter. 


THE  SAILOR'S  LAST  LETTER. 

The  following  unfinished  letter  was  written  by 
a  young  man  at  sea,  early  in  February,  1842,  who 
was  drowned  on  the  next  day,  intending  to  date  it 
when  finished. 

Dear  Brother, — It  is  now  with  much  pleasure 
that  I  take  my  pen  to  address  you  a  few  lines,  that 
you  might  not  think  I  had  forgotten  you,  and  my 
native  soil,  and  all  those  who  dwell  there.  Not  so, 
for  in  the  lone  hours  of  night,  while  tossed  on  the 
briny  ocean,  I  often  think  of  my  home  and  the 
comforts  1  might  have  enjoyed  there,  could  I  have 
matle  myself  contented.  Yes,  much  more  than  in 
this  floating  home  where  nothing  but  a  few  planks 
and  nails  separate  me  from  eternity.  I  think 
much  of  this  every  day  1  live ;  and  the  more  I 
think,  the  more  I  realize  the  shortness  of  time  and 
the  importance  of  a  preparation  for  death  and  fu- 
turity. Dear  Brother,  let  your  hours  of  time  be 
passed  to  collect  strength  for  the  trying  hour  that 
awaits  us.  We  should  stand  thoughtful  on  the  sol- 
emn, silent  shore  of  that  ocean,  on  which  we  must 
soon  launch  away.  Let  us  wait  in  meditation  and 
prayer  for  the  wind  that  shall  waft  us  to  a  world 
unknown.  We  must  daily  stand  at  the  gate  of  the 
grave,  and  familiarize  ourselves  with  the  thoughts 
of  the  dying  hour,  when  our  friends  may  surround 
us  to  witness  the  scene  of  our  departure.  Let  the 
thoughts  of  the  coffin,  the  grave,  the  shroud,  the 
hearse,  the  sable  pall,  and  broken-hearted  parents 
and  friends  following  in  solemn  procession  to  the 
house  appointed  for  all  living,  impress  us      Frorc 


THE    sailor's    last    LETTER.  129 

such  views  we  may  collect  fresh  strength  to  press 
on  in  the  good  cause  of  God.  This  should  be  our 
first  and  principal  concern. 

Dear  Brother,  should  you  be  faithful  in  the  cause, 
you  might  say  there  is  peace  in  believing,  and  joy 
in  the  Holy  Ghost.  Read  the  Bible ;  take  the 
commandments  of  God  for  your  guide,  and  pray 
much  in  secret,  and  you  will  ever  be  happy  in 
God.  You  must  have  stated  times  for  prayer,  and 
before  you  kneel  think  of  the  many  temptations 
which  surround  you,  and  your  need  of  divine  help. 
Be  very  choice  in  the  selection  of  your  company, 
avoid  as  much  as  possible  the  company  of  the  light 
and  trifling,  and  those  who  have  no  strict  principles 
of  religion.  Look  out  for  all  the  "  no  harm  things," 
for  these  are  the  small  foxes  that  destroy  the  tender 
vines.  As  for  myself  when  you  last  saw  me,  I  en 
joyed  but  little  religion,  but  when  I  had  launched 
once  more  on  the  mighty  deep,  I  found  to  make  al. 
things  well  I  must  take  Jesus  for  my  all.  And  so 
I  did,  and  have  enjoyed  much  peace  in  so  doing. 
I  have  the  temptations  to  meet  which  a  seafaring 
life  exposes  one  to.  I  do  not  have  the  privilege  of 
class  and  prayer  meetnigs  which  I  have  enjoyed 
on  shore  with  so  much  happiness.  I  have  no 
Christian  friends  near  me,  but  Jesus  is  near  and 
precious  to  my  soul.  I  have  but  little  more  to 
write :  remember  this  is  from  one  whom  you  may 
never  more  have  the  privilege  of  seeing  until  a( 
the  judgment-seat  of  Christ ! — Sailor'' s  Magazinr 


130      A  mother's  blessing  before  I  DIB. 


"A  MOTHER'S  BLESSING  BEFORE  I  DIE." 

At  eight,  p.  m.,  1  repaired  to  the  forecastle  a& 
usual,  to  bestow  some  little  kindnesses  and  nourish- 
ment to  the  sick.  I  found  poor  Jack,  with  his  face 
towards  the  side  of  the  ship,  breathing  hard. 

"  How  do  you  do  now.  Jack  ?"  said  I.  With 
great  difficulty  and  with  my  assistance  he  turned 
his  face  towards  me  ;  and  after  the  fatigue  occa- 
sioned b}'  this  exertion,  he  said  in  a  low  hollow 
voice  : 

'•  Captain,  I  am  a  dying  man  ;"  and  after  another 
strong  effort  he  continued — "  I  have  a  mother  now 
living  in  England,  God  bless  her  !  I  have  been  a 
sad  fellow,  sir — she  taught  me  to  read  the  Bible,  and 
say  my  prayers,  and  gave  me  much  good  advice,  and 
she  often  would  say  to  me,  don't  forget  the  advice 
of  her  who  never  forgets  to  pray  for  you." 

Here  the  big  tears  chased  each  other  in  rapid 
succession  from  the  dying  eyes  of  poor  Tack.  "  Oh 
my  mother,"  exclaimed  he,  "  could  thy  dying  son 
live  but  to  make  amends  for  all  the  pain  and  suf- 
fering he  has  given  thee !  Oh  could  I  but  receive 
a  mother's  blessing  before  I  die  !"  Nature  at  this 
moment  gave  way,  and  he  sunk  exhausted  on  the 
pillow,  under  the  great  effort  he  had  made.  The 
scene  was  too  much  for  me,  I  found  the  muscles 
of  my  face,  and  especially  my  eyes,  relaxing ;  and 
involuntarily  turned  away  from  the  berth,  would 
have  given  him  some  spiritual  consolation,  but 
alas !  I  was  not  at  that  period  competent  to  do  so. 
After  a  pause  of  a  few  moments  he  recovered  him- 
self and  beckoned  me  again  to  his  side.  Putting 
my  ear  near  to  his  mouth,  he  begged  in  a  low 


A  mother's  blessing  before  I  hie.      131 

tremulous  tone,  to  be  placed  underneath  the  fore* 
scuttle,  so  that  he  might  look  upon  the  blue  sky, 
and  behold  the  stars ;  the  reques-t  was  immediately 
granted  him,  and  he  was  placed  in  the  chosen  posi- 
tion, and  for  two  hours  steadfastly  gazed  on  the  hea- 
vens, occasionally  repeating  the  beloved  name  of 
mother.  At  eleven,  p.  m.,  his  sight  failed,  and  na- 
ture was  wearing  away  apace  :  the  dim  light  was 
flickering  in  the  socket  in  readiness  to  expire  at 
every  moment.  A  few  minutes  before  twelve 
o'clock,  he  made  a  slight  movement  as  if  to  speak. 
I  again  placed  my  ear  near  to  his  mouth  ;  he  mur- 
mured out,  "  oh,  my  mother  !"  These  Avere  his 
last  words ;  for,  just  as  the  bell  tolled  the  hour  of 
midnight,  the  spirit  of  poor  Jack  took  its  everlasting 
flight. 

Then  you  might  have  seen  a  gathering  group 
of  sailors  around  his  cold  remains,  subdued  and 
broken  in  spirit,  eager  to  perform  the  last  sad 
offices  to  a  departed  shipmate.  Poor  Jack !  he 
was  washed,  shaved,  and  dressed  in  his  best  suit,  and 
carefully,  though  strongly,  sewed  up  in  his  ham- 
mock, and  neatly  lashed  with  close  hitches,  so  as  to 
secure  the  body  in  its  natal  shroud  ;  after  which 
it  was  taken  on  deck,  and  laid  in  the  launch  until 
the  time  of  burial.  The  next  day,  the  sun  rose 
into  a  perfectly  clear  and  cloudless  sky,  and  over 
Jie  broad  expanse  of  waters,  nothing  was  to  be 
seen  but  an  unruffled  sea,  and  now  and  then  a  sea- 
gull, or  a  Mother  Carey's  chicken,  skimming  the 
swelling  surface,  the  only  proof  that  we  were  not 
alone  in  creation's  expanse.  There  was  an  air  of  pro- 
found sorrow  and  melancholy  reigning  throughout 
the  ship.  Here  lay  the  cold  remains  of  poor  Jack  ; 
and  in  the  forecastle  languished  three  others,  so  ill 
that  we  knew  not  what  hour  they  would  share  the 


132        A    mother's    blessing    before    I    DIE. 

fate  of  their  departed  shipmate.  It  was  indeed  an 
hour  of  sadness,  when  the  ship  was  hove  to,  to  per- 
form the  rites  of  burial.  All  hands  that  were  able 
to  come  on  deck,  took  their  stations  forward  of  the 
gangway;  they  were  all  tidy,  and  dressed  in  their 
best  rig  ;  the  stars  and  stripes  were  run  up  half- 
mast — the  corpse,  with  a  bag  of  shot  tied  at  the 
■foot  of  the  hammock,  was  placed  on  a  board  at  the 
gangway — after  which  thirteen  minute  guns  were 
fired — and  then  commenced  the  reading  of  the 
funeral  service  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  It  was 
a  moment  when  all  the  finer  feelings  of  the  soul 
were  brought  into  play :  the  stout  hearts  and  rigid 
muscles  of  men  who  had  never  flinched  in  storm 
or  battle,  gave  way  in  sympathetic  wo.  There 
was  a  moment's  pause  as  I  came  to  the  period  pre 
ceding  the  sentence  -  we  commit  this  body,  &c."  I 
involuntarily  ceased  reading  as  I  heard  a  deep 
groan  from  an  old  sailor.  The  sentence  was  fin- 
ished, a  deep  splash  was  heard,  and  the  body  of 
poor  Jack  sunk  beneath  the  blue  wave,  there  to 
rest.  untU  the  sea  shall  roll  its  millions  to  the  shore. 
After  this  mournful  ceremony  was  over,  all  sail 
was  again  made,  and  we  stood  on  our  course,  with- 
out knowing,  however,  how  soon  the  same  melan- 
choly duty  would  again  have  to  be  performed  to 
some  other  inmate  of  the  ship. — Life  on  tht  Ocean. 


THE  SAILOR'S  GRAVE 

The  grave  of  youth  and  hoary  age 
Lies  low  beneath  the  tufted  clod ; 

And  lofty  prince  and  ancient  sage 

Are  found  beneath  the  same  green  sod. 

But  Where's  the  tomb  of  the  hardy  brave? 

The  ocean  is  the  sailors  grave. 


THE    ORPHAN    SAILOR    BOY.  133 

No  mDnumental  stone  is  found 

To  mark  the  place  he  lies  beneath  ; 
No  beauteous  garlands  deck  the  mound, 

Nor  willows  form  a  flowery  wreath  : 
The  moonbeam  trembling  o'er  the  wave, 
Is  all  that  marks  the  sailor's  grave. 

No  funeral  knell  with  solemn  sound 

Falls  mournful  on  the  distant  ear : 
No  wife  nor  mother  there  is  found 

To  wipe  away  the  falling  tear. 
But  they  who  can  the  ocean  brave, 
Can  weep  beside  the  sailor's  grave. 

The  ocean  may  be  lashed  in  storm, 

And  waves  around  his  pillow  play  ; 
The  skies  in  terror  may  be  torn, 

And  lightnings  pass  their  fiery  way : 
Yet  there  he  rests — as  rest  the  brave — 
In  peace  beneath  the  stormy  wave. 

Lo  in  the  caverns  of  the  deep 

Beside  some  coral  bed  he  lies  , 
Wrapt  in  the  sea-weed  there  to  sleep 

Till  from  the  grave  of  death  he  rise  : 
Yes,  He  who  came  to  bless  and  save, 
Shall  raise  him  from  his  watery  grave, 

Sailorh  MasaziM, 


THE  ORPHAN  SAILOR  BOY. 

'  Don't  speak  harshly  to  him.  He  has  no  fa 
ther  to  direct  his  steps,  no  mother  to  watch  ove 
him.  Temptation  was  laid  before  him,  and  h« 
yielded.  Be  not  severe  ;  perhaps  one  kind  wora 
may  save  him  from  ruin.  Do  not  drive  him  to 
more  gross  acts  of  sin,  but  manifest  by  your  voice 
and  your  tears  that  you  are  his  real  friend.  Had 
he  been  blest  with  a  mother's  care,  he  would  not 
12 


134  BOOKS    FOR    SAILORS. 

have  stepped  aside  from  the  path  of  rectitude.  Now 
he  feels  that  no  one  cares  for  him  :  no  one  pities 
him  :  no  one  lov/;s  him.  Go  to  him  and  be  his 
friend,  his  guiHe,  his  counsellor,  and  you  will  save 
him  from  the  depths  of  degradation.  There  is 
nothing  so  effectual  as  sympathy,  to  allay  the  bad 
passions  and  incline  the  heart  to  virtue.  How 
sweet  is  the  reflection,  I  have  drawn  a  soul  from 
vice,  and  placed  him  in  the  path  of  virtue,  and  now 
he  is  bearing  the  fruits  of  usefulness  on  earth,  ex- 
erting  a  good  influence,  and  ripening  for  a  better 
world." 


BOOKS  FOR  SAILORS- 

"  It  is  a  striking  fact,  that  the  narrative  of  the  con- 
version of  men  of  the  sea,  happily  more  frequent 
than  in  former  years,  is  almost  uniformly  connected 
with  the  perusal  of  some  tract  or  book.  Deprived 
of  many  of  the  means  of  grace,  the  few  they  may 
possess  seem  to  be  the  more  effective.  The  Bible 
and  religious  books  may  be  taken  into  the  forecas- 
tle on  a  long  voyage,  when  the  Bethel  and  the 
prayer  meeting  must  be  left  behind,  and  in  those 
long  and  wearj^  hours  when  seasons  of  thought 
Tisit  the  soul,  they  often  prove  the  means  of  instruc- 
tion and  salvation. 

'-  To  say  that  the  sailor  needs  the  Bible,  is  equiv- 
alent to  saying  that  a  miner  needs  a  lamp,  or  that 
the  blind  need  a  guide,  or  that  a  vessel  needs  a 
rudder. 

"  He  needs  a  compass  and  chart  as  much  as  the 
ressel  he  navigates  ;  but  without  the  Bible  he  has 


BOOKS    FOR    SAILORS.  135 

neither.  Good  books  are  seamen's  preachers ; 
holding-,  in  some  degree,  the  same  relation  to  the 
Bible  on  shipboard,  that  preaching  does  on  shore. 
The  hamm^ock  or  the  capstan  is  the  pulpit,  and  the 
forecastle  or  deck  is  the  church  of  the  sailor.  Alas, 
hjow  many  vacant  pulpits  there  are  ! 

"  Books  for  the  sailor  must  not  be  sectarian. 
He  can  get  along  no  better  in  a  strait-jacket  than 
he  can  in  small  clothes ;  he  is  too  broad-chested, 
and  has  breathed  the  air  of  old  ocean  too  long. 
Little  does  he  care  for  the  isms,  about  which  too 
many  good  men  contend.  You  may  harden,  but 
you  cannot  win  him  by  thrusting  upon  him  the 
books  that  record  your  differences. 

"  Books  for  seamen  and  boatmen,  must  be  writ- 
ten with  simplicity,  directness  and  fervor.  These 
men  are  accustomed  to  call  a  spade,  a  spark.  Like 
a  western  man,  if  you  have  anything  to  say,  they 
want  you  to  say  it  and  stop.  If  you  are  in  earnest, 
as  they  always  are,  they  will  find  it  out,  and  will 
hear  you.  They  must  be  spiritual  books,  books 
that  address  men  as  sinners,  that  grapple  with  the 
conscience  of  the  wicked  man,  and  bring  him  to  the 
cross. 

'•  Sailors  especially,  need  good  books  to  supplant 
the  corrupt  literature  of  the  sea.  The  devil  has  been 
beforehand  with  us  in  this  matter.  At  the  head  of 
almost  every  wharf  you  will  see  an  exhibition  of 
the  trash  made  for  seamen  ;  song  books,  dream 
books,  extravagant  romances,  licentious  stories  and 
pictures.  Almost  every  sea-chest  is  supplied  with 
some  of  the  scum  of  the  '  polite  literature.'  It  is 
read  too.  to  fill  the  imagination  with  scenes  of  de- 
bauchery and  blood. 

"  Seamen  must  have  good  books,  because  they 
have  almost  no  other  means  of  religious  instruc- 


fUK.    liViiK. 


tion.  Their  home  is  on  the  sea.  Few  have  a 
Sabbath  or  social  religious  privileges,  or  a  Christian 
periodical.  Think  of  the  whaler,  occupying  the 
tenth  part  of  a  lifetime  in  his  perilous  voyage, 
with  no  opportunity  of  hearing  the  Gospel,  unless 
it  be  through  the  ministry  of  the  dead,  and  tell  us 
whether  sailors  do  not  need  good  books.  Think 
of  the  dangers,  temporal  and  spiritual,  to  which 
they  are  exposed,  and  say  whether  every  ship  sail- 
ing from  our  ports  should  not  be  amply  supplied 
with  silent  preaching.  Pious  ship-owners  and 
shipmasters  should  no  more  send  or  take  a  vessel 
to  sea  without  Christian  books,  than  without  bread. 
Christian  beneficence  should  do  it  where  it  is  neg- 
lected by  others." — Sailor^s  Magazirie. 


FOR  EVER. 

"  It  is  said,  that  a  pious  man  once  had  this  ques- 
put  to  him  ;  '  Why  do  you  spend  so  much  time  in 
reading,  meditation,  and  prayer?'  He,  in  reply, 
lifted  up  his  hands  and  eyes  to  heaven,  and 
solemnly  said — Forever — Forever — Forever  I 

"  And  oh,  what  is  the  forever  of  heaven  ?  None 
on  earth  can  describe  it ;  none  can  comprehend 
eternity.  Were  the  house  you  inhabit  to  be 
filled  with  the  finest  sand,  and  emptied  so  slowly, 
that  but  the  smallest  grain  should  be  taken  once  m 
ten  thousand  years,  how  many  millions  of  ages 
would  pass  away  before  the  last  grain  were  re- 
moved ?  Yet  compared  with  eternity,  these 
countless  years  would  be  like  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye.      Were   the   mighty  seas,  which  dash  theil 


THE    MISERIES    OF    THE    TNGODLY,    ETC.         137 

wares,  against  so  many  shores,  to  be  suddenly 
changed  into  one  mass  of  ink,  and  then  to  be  em* 
ployed  in  numbering  down  figures,  and  the  least 
figure  to  signify  a  million  of  years,  what  countless 
ages  would  be  numbered  down,  before  the  seas 
were  emptied  :  yet  he  who  wrote  the  last  figure 
might  say,  '  these  ages  are  not  eternity ;'  they  are 
nothingness  itself  compared  with  that : — less  than 
one  drop  to  all  the  sea ;  less  than  one  moment  to 
all  these  infinite  years :  they  are  like  a  tale  that  is 
told,  or  a  sig-h  that  is  fororotten. 

"  And  had  we  lived  through  these  inconceivably 
countless  years,  when  we  had  seen  them  pass,  and 
even  pass  a  thousand  times  over,  we  might  still  say, 
'  But  a  moment  of  eternity  is  past.'  Beyond  ages 
that  we  might  almost  deem  an  eternity,  other  eter- 
nities would  rise  in  endless  succession.  Such  is 
the  forever  in  heaven.  In  a  short  time,  the  hand 
that  has  written  these  pages,  and  the  eye  that  reads 
them  must  be  turned  to  dust ;  but  in  eternity  we 
must  live  forever  and  ever  the  companions  of  angels, 
or  of  devils." 


THE  MISERIES  OF  THE  UXGODLY  IX  THE  DAY  OF 
DEATH. 

"  A  YOUNG  woman  who  had  lived  negligent  of 
the  great  salvation,  not  long  before  she  died,  burst 
into  tears,  and  said,  '  O,  that  I  had  repented,  when 
the  Spirit  of  God  was  striving  with  me  !  but  now 
I  am  undone.'  She  afterwards  exclaimed,  '  O,  how 
have  I  been  deceived !  When  I  was  in  health,  I 
delayed  repentance  from  time  to  time.  O,  that  I 
12* 


133  THE    .MISERIES    OF    THE   U^- GODLY 

had  my  time  to  live  over  again  !  O,  that  I  haa 
obeyed  the  Gospel,  but  now  I  must  burn  in  hell 
forever.  Oh  !  I  cannot  bear  it — I  cannot  bear  it.' 
Not  long  before  she  died,  she  said,  Eternity,  Eter- 
nity !  oh  to  burn  throughout  eternity  ! 

"One  unhappy  creature  in  his  dying  hours 
among  a  number  of  dismal  expressions,  used  such 
as  the  following  :  Oh,  that  hell !  Why  must  I  leave 
this  earth  !  O,  that  hell ! 

"  A  young  woman  was  laid  upon  the  bed  of 
death.  In  that  solemn  situation,  her  lamentations 
and  bitter  grief  were  most  affecting.  She  confessed 
that  she  had  neglected  the  great  salvation.  Oh ! 
she  exclaimed, '  my  hard  heart !  I  find  no  softness 
in  it.  It  will  not  relent!  is  there  no  forgiveness 
for  me?  Am  I  not  to  be  saved.  Lord  V  Her  most 
frequent  cry  was,  Lord  break  my  hard  heart! — 
In  a  few  hours  after  this  she  expired. 

"  A  sick  man  who  once  had  serious  impressions, 
but  did  not  yield  to  them,  observed,  '  I  would  give 
ten  thousand  worlds  to  be  pardoned.'  The  lan- 
guage of  another  sufferer  was  deeply  affecting. 
'  I  know  I  am  not  forgiven.  Oh  I  it  is  dreadful  to 
die  !  oh,  millions  and  millions  of  years — it  is  dread- 
ful! O  that  I  could  live  till  I  am  forgiven  !  it  is  too 
late  now  I  it  is  all  over  !  O  that  I  had  come  to 
Christ  sincerely !'  When  spoken  to  of  the  Sa- 
viour's mercy,  she  answered,  '  That  is  what  makes 
it  so  bad  to  sin  against  so  great  a  Saviour.' 

"  Let  us  enter  the  chamber  where  the  infidel 
Voltaire  is  dying  He  has  long  opposed  the  Gos- 
pel, and  concluded  his  letters  to  infidel  friends, 
with  '  crush  the  wretch,'  meaning  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  But  now  he  is  overwhelmed  with  horror 
and  despair  ;  not  a  gleam  of  hope  breaks  in  upon 
Vis  soul.     He  curses  his  former  companions  in  infi 


IN    THE    DAY    OF    DEATH.  139 

Helity,  and  exclaims,  '  retire  !  It  is  you  that  have 
brought  me  to  my  present  state  !  begone  !  I  could 
have  done  without  you  all,  but  you  could  not  exist 
without  me !' 

"  Now  he  exclaims,  'O  Christ!  O  Jesus  Christ!' 
Then  utters  with  horror, '  I  am  abandoned  by  God 
and  man.'  Alternately  he  supplicates  and  blas- 
phemes the  God  he  has  denied.  Wretched  man ! 
wretched  fame  which  infidelity  obtained  him.  Let 
us  enter  the  dying  chamber  of  another  infidel,  he 
is  dying  a  martyr  ;  a  martyr  to  drunkenness  and 
brandy.  No  bright  hopes  cheer  the  last  moments 
of  this  debauched  apostle  of  infidelity.  Ask  him, — 
'  whet  think  you  of  Jesus  now  V  his  mournful 
moans,  his  bitter  cries,  gave  a  forced  but  unwilling 
reply;  he  exclaims,  O  Lord,  help  me!  O  Lord  help 
me  !  O,  Christ  help  me  !  O,  Christ  help  me  !  He 
confesses  to  one  who  had  burnt  his  Age  of  Reason, 
that  he  wished  all  who  had  read  it  had  been  as 
wise  as  he ;  and  adds,  '  if  ever  the  devil  had  an 
agent  on  earth  I  have  been  one.'  And  when  ap- 
prehending immediate  dissolution,  exclaims, '  I  think 
I  can  say,  what  they  make  Jesus  Christ  to  say,  my 
God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?'  At 
length  he  dies,  but  notwithstanding  all  the  horrors 
of  conscience,  a  stranger  to  real  penitence. 

"  We  need  go  no  further  ;  these  apostles  of  infi- 
delity, like  malefactors  confessing  their  crim^^s  at 
the  gallows,  have,  in  their  dying  horrors,  confessed 
that  they  could  not  disbelieve  that  religion  they  had 
labored  to  destroy.  Whence  the  cries,  O  Christ! 
O  Jesus  Christ!  Lord,  help  me!  Christ,  help  me! 
but  from  an  inward  conviction,  that  Christianity  is 
divine?  They  had  doubtless  been  again-st  the 
Bible,  because  the  Bible  was  against  them  ;  and 
oow,  like  the  demons  the  Saviour  ejected,   they 


140        THE    MISERIES    OF    THE    UNGODLY,    ETC. 

confessed  him,  in  whose  mercy  they  no  longer  find 
a  port. 

"  Is  such  the  conclusion  of  a  life  of  sin  ?  Are 
such  the  consequences  of  making  light  of  Christ  1 
O,  then  as  you  would  avoid  the  awful  end  of  trans- 
gressors, forsake  their  destructive  path  !  If  you 
continue  in  it,  reader,  your  own  departure  from  the 
world  may  hereafter  resemble  theirs  whose  unhap« 
py  end  has  now  been  described.  Bitter  would  i 
then  be  for  you  to  think  of  those  sins,  and  of  that 
neglect  by  which  the  soul  is  undone.  Alas  !  what 
madness  it  is  to  choose  damnation,  if  you  may  but 
go,  what  is  to  corrupt  nature,  a  pleasant  way  to 
hell.  Listen  not  to  the  voice  of  seducers  who 
would  lead  you  to  ruin.  They  promise  you  lib- 
erty, but  are  themselves  the  slaves  of  sin.  When 
the  smiling  seducer  \;ould  tempt  you  astray,  think 
with  yourself,  '  can  I  bear  my  Creator's  anger  ? 
Can  I  endure  my  Judge's  frown  ?  Can  I  dwell 
with  everlasting  burnings'?  Shall  I  neglect  eternal 
life,  and  choose  eternal  death,  for  things  that  shall 
perish  in  the  using  V  " 


THE  SCOFFER. 

"  All  ye  who  laugli  and  sport  with  death, 
And  say.  there  is  no  hell : 
The  gasp  of  your  expiring  breath 
Will  send  you  there  to  dwell. 

"When  iron  slumbers  bind  your  flesh, 
With  strange  surprise  you'll  find 
Immortal  vigor  spring  afresh. 
And  tortures  wake  the  mind  ! 

"  Then  you'll  confess  the  frightful  names 
Of  plagues  you  scorn'd  before. 
No  more  shall  look  like  idle  dreams, 
Like  foolish  tales  no  more. 


THE    MORNING    AND    EVENING    OF    LIFE.        141 

Then  shall  ye  curse  that  fatal  day. 

With  flames  upon  your  tongues, 
When  you  exchange!  your  souls  away 

For  vanity  and  songs. 


THE  MORNING  AND  EVENING  OF  LIFE. 

"  Many  a  bright  and  beautiful  morning  is  followed 
by  a  dark  and  cloudy  evening.  This  is  common  in 
the  natural  world.  It  is  not  uncommon  in  the  moral 
and  spiritual  world.  The  bright  morning  of  youth, 
which  shone  with  cheering  prospects  on  the  path 
of  the  young  traveller  in  life's  journey,  is  often  over- 
shadowed at  noon,  and  dark  with  lowering  clouds  of 
adversity  before  the  evening  twilight.  But  in  noth- 
ing is  such  a  case  more  marked  and  melancholy, 
than  when  the  soul  of  man,  which  might  have  been 
cheered  with  the  sunlight  of  heaven,  sinks  into  the 
darkness  and  gloom  of  endless  night.  This  is 
often  true  in  the  case  of  those  who  spend  the  morn- 
ing of  life  in  neglect  of  religion,  and  live  on  with- 
out hope  and  without  God  in  the  world.  Compar- 
atively few  conversions  take  place  beyond  the  age 
of  fifty.  I  once  heard  from  the  lips  of  an  aged 
man,  an  affecting  testimony  to  this  very  point. 

''  He  was  present  on  an  occasion  when  a  solemn 
appeal  was  made  to  the  young  to  yield  themselves 
up  to  God  in  the  freshness  of  their  young  existence. 
The  preacher  in  the  course  of  his  remarks,  observed, 
'  That  in  the  morning  of  life,  we  usually  thought 
that  as  a  matter  of  course,  when  we  grew  old,  we 
should  feel  willing,  ready,  and  desirous  to  attend  to 
the  things  of  religion.     But,  on  the  contrary,  when 


142        THE    MORNING   AND   EVENING    OF    LIFE. 

age  came  stealing  on,  we  should  find  in  our  he&rti 
the  same  reluctance,  the  same  backwardness,  the 
same  or  greater  unwillingness  to  commence  this 
work,  as  at  any  former  period.' 

''  As  the  preacher  came  down  from  the  pulpit, 
this  aged  man,  who  was  highly  respectable,  uni- 
formly correct  in  his  deportment  and  constant  in 
his  attendance  upon  divine  service,  came  forward, 
and  extending  his  hand  to  him,  with  much  emo- 
tion remarked, '  Sir,  what  you  said  just  now  is  un- 
questionably true.  I  know  it  from  my  own  expe- 
rience. When  I  was  young,  I  said  to  myself,  I 
cannot  give  up  the  world  now,  but  I  will  by  and 
by.  when  I  have  passed  the  meridian  of  life,  and 
bec;-in  to  sink  into  the  vale  of  years ;  then  I  will  be- 
come a  Christian ;  then  I  will  be  ready  to  attend  to 
the  concerns  of  the  soul.  But  here  I  am,  an  old 
man.  I  am  not  a  Christian.  I  feel  no  readiness 
nor  disposition  to  enter  upon  tlie  work  of  my  salva- 
tion. In  looking  back,  1  oftentimes  feel  as  though 
I  would  give  worlds  if  I  could  be  placed  where  I 
was  when  I  was  twenty  years  old.  There  were 
not  half  as  many  difficulties  in  my  path  then  as 
there  are  now.'  Though  this  man  spoke  thus — 
and  the  big  tears  coursed  down  his  cheek,  as  he 
gave  utterance  to  these  truths — the  emotions  that 
were  then  stirred  up  within  him  passed  away  like 
the  early  dew.  He  did  not  turn  to  God  ;  he  re- 
mains unconverted,  and  there  is  fearful  reason  to 
expect  that  he  will  furnish  another  awful  illustra- 
tion of  the  truth,  that  they  who  put  off  tlie  work 
of  their  salvation,  under  the  belief  that  it  will  be 
less  difficult  to  enter  upon  a  religious  course  of  life 
at  some  future  period  than  at  present,  will  die  in 
anregeneracy  and  sin." — Evangelist. 


THE    DYING   nOTTR.  143 


THE  DYING  HOUR. 

"  Not  long-  since,"  said  Rev.  Mr.  W.,  "  a  young 

man  in  ihe  vigor  of  health,  with  the  fairest  prospects 
of  a  long  and  prosperous  life,  was  thrown  from  a 
vehicle  and  conveyed  to  the  nearest  house  in  a  state 
that  excited  instant  and  universal  alarm  for  his 
safety.  A  physician  was  called.  The  first  ques- 
tion of  the  wounded  youth  was,  '  Sir,  must  I  die  ? 
must  I  die  ?  Deceive  me  not  in  this  thing.'  His 
firm  tone  and  penetrating  look  demanded  an  honest 
reply.  He  was  told  that  he  could  not  live  more 
than  an  hour.  He  waked  up  as  it  were  at  once 
to  a  full  sense  of  the  dreadful  reality.  '  Must  I  then 
go  into  eternity  in  an  hour  ?  God  knows  that  I 
have  made  no  preparation  for  this  event.  I  knew 
that  impenitent  youth  were  sometimes  cut  off  thus 
suddenly,  but  it  never  entered  my  mind  that  I 
should  be  one  of  this  number.  And  now,  what 
shall  I  do  to  be  saved  V  He  was  told  that  he  must 
repent  and  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  But 
how  shall  I  repent  and  believe  ?  Here  is  no  time 
to  explain — the  work  must  be  done.  The  whole 
business  of  an  immortal  being,  in  this  probationary 
life,  is  now  crowded  into  one  short  hour,  and  that 
an  hour  of  mental  agony  and  distraction.  Friends 
were  weeping  around  and  running  to  and  fro  in 
the  frenzy  of  grief  The  poor  sufTerer,  with  a 
bosom  heaving  with  emotion,  and  with  an  eye 
gleaming  with  distraction,  continued  the  cry  of 
'  what  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  V  till,  in  less  than 
an  hour,  his  voice  was  hushed  in  the  stillness  of 
death." 


144    UNEXPECTED  COMING  OF  THE  SON  OF  MAW, 


'*IN  SUCH  AN  HOUR  AS  YE  THINK  NOT  THE  SON 
OF  MAN  COMTH." 

"It  often  happens  that  persons  are  suddenly 
caHed  into  eternity  that  have  not  a  moment's  time 
for  reflection.     The  foHowing  is  an  instance  of  this 

kind.     A   short  time  since  Mr. ,  a  merchant 

in  one  of  our  large  cities,  was  seized  with  a  dan- 
gerous iilness,  which  brought  him  to  the  very  con- 
fines of  the  eternal  world.  In  this  situation  the 
past  neglect  of  the  Saviour  rushed  with  power  on 
his  conscience,  and  in  a  most  solemn  form  he  vowed 
to  lead  a  new  life,  and  serve  his  Creator  if  he  re- 
covered. Unexpectedly  to  himself,  and  to  all 
others,  he  recovered,  by  slow  degrees,  to  his  usual 
degree  of  health,  and  during  this  period,  he  re- 
garded his  promise,  and  at  length  professed  to  ob- 
tain a  good  hope  through  grace.  But,  alas  !  when 
he  got  well  and  resumed  his  business,  the  duties 
and  pleasures  of  life  led  him  astray  from  God,  and 
he  again  indulged  in  all  the  vanity  of  fashionable 
life.  A  friend  who  had  heard  and  who  was  deeply 
affected  with  his  solemn  vows  when  in  trouble, 
reminded  him  of  that  affecting  scene.  He  remem- 
bered It,  and  declared  his  intention  of  fulfilling  all 
he  had  said,  as  soon  as  he  had  accomplished  two  or 
three  pressing  items  of  business ;  then  he  would 
give  up  his  whole  soul  to  the  work — then  he  would 
seek  God  with  all  his  heart.  A  few  days  after  the 
admonition  he  attended    a  splendid   ball.     In  the 

midst  of  gaiety  and  mirth,  Mr. was  in  high 

spirits  and  partaking  in  all  its  merriment,  thinking 
that  this  was  '  the  time  to  dance,'  when  suddenly 
the  angel  of  death  entered  the  festive  hall,  and  the 


AN    AFFECTING    ANECDOTE.  145 

young,  the  gay,  the  thoughtless  merchant  sunk  to 
the  floor  a  lifeless  corpse. 

'•  No  room  for  mirthful  trifling  here. 
For  worldly  hope  or  worldly  fear, 

If  life  so  soou  is  gone ; 
If  now  the  Judge  is  at  the  door. 
And  all  mankind  must  stand  before 

The  inexorable  throne." 


AN  AFFECTING  ANECDOTE. 

"  A  young  man  stated  the  following  facts  at  a 
prayer  meeting  in  Massachusets.  '  About  one  year 
ago  I  set  out  in  company  with  a  young  man  of  my 
intimate  acquaintance,  to  seek  the  salvation  of  my 
soul.  For  several  weeks  we  went  on  together ; 
we  prayed  and  wept  together,  and  often  renewed 
our  covenant  never  to  give  over  seeking  till  we 
obtained  the  religion  of  Jesus.  But  all  at  once  the 
young  man  neglected  attending  meetings  :  appeared 
to  turn  his  back  on  all  the  means  of  grace,  and 
grew  so  shy  of  me  that  I  could  scarcely  get  an 
opportunity  to  speak  to  him.  His  strange  conduct 
ffave  me  much  painful  anxiety  of  mind,  but  still  I 
felt  resolved  to  obtain  the  salvation  of  my  soul,  or 
perish  making  the  publican's  plea. 

'• '  After  a  few  days  a  friend  informed  me  that  my 
young  companion  had  received  an  invitation  to 
attend  a  ball,  and  was  determined  to  go.  1  went 
immediately  to  him,  and  with  tears  in  my  eyes 
endeavored  to  persuade  him  to  change  his  purpose, 
and  go  with  me  on  that  evening  to  a  prayer-meet- 
mg.  I  pleaded  with  him  in  vain.  He  told  me, 
13 


146  AN    AFFECTING   ANECCOTE. 

when  we  parted,  that  I  must  not  give  him  up  aa 
lost,  for  after  he  had  attended  that  ball  he  intended 
to  make  a  business  of  seeking  religion.  The  ap- 
pointed evening  came,  and  he  went  to  the  ball,  and 
I  went  to  the  prayer-meetmg.  Soon  after  the  meet- 
ing opened  it  pleased  God,  in  answer  to  prayer,  to 
turn  my  spiritual  captivity  and  make  my  soul  re- 
joice in  his  justifying  love.  Soon  after  the  ball 
opened  my  young  friend  was  standing  at  the  head 
of  the  ball-room,  with  the  hand  of  a  young  lady  in 
his  hand,  preparing  to  lead  down  the  darrce ;  and 
while  the  musician  was  tuning  his  violin,  without 
one  moment's  warning,  the  young  man  sallied  back 
and  fell  dead  on  the  floor.  I  was  immediately  sent 
for  to  assist  in  devising  means  to  convey  his  remains 
to  his  father's  house.  You  wall  be  better  able  to 
judge  what  were  my  feelings  when  I  tell  you  that 
the  young  man  was  my  brother." — Christian  Ad- 
vocate. 

"  Ye  lovely  bands  of  blooming  youth, 
Warn'd  by  the  voice  of  heav'nly  truth, 
Now  yield  to  Christ  your  youthful  prime, 
With  all  your  talents  and  your  time. 

"  Think  on  your  end — nor  thoughtless  say, 
'  I'll  put  far  off  the  evil  day  ;' 
A.h  !  not  a  moment's  in  your  power, 
And  death  stands  ready  at  the  door. 

"  Eternity  !  how  near  it  rolls ! 
Count  the  vast  value  of  your  souls  ! 
Beware !  and  count  the  awful  cost. 
What  they  have  gain'd  whose  souls  are  lost 

"  Pride,  sinful  pleasures,  lusts  and  snares, 
Beset  your  hearts,  your  eyes,  your  eare— 
Take  the  alarm — the  danger  fly  I 
Lordy  save  7ne,  be  your  earnest  cry." 


THE  YOUTH  THAT  .VAS  NOT  READY.     147 


THE  YOUTH  THAT  WAS  NOT  READY. 

"DcjRiNGthe  closing  service  one  Sabbath,"  saya 
a  pastor,  "  my  eyes  rested  on  a  lovely  youth.  I 
approached  him  and  exhorted  him  to  repentance 
and  faith  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He  replied, 
'  I  am  not  ready  now,  but  in  two  weeks  I  am  re- 
solved to  seek  the  salvation  of  my  soul.'  A  few 
days  after,  his  minister  was  called  to  visit  him  upon 
a  bed  of  sickness.  He  said  to  the  minister,  '  I  was 
invited  to  the  Saviour  at  the  meeting  of  the  Sab- 
bath ;  I  replied  that  I  was  not  ready  then,  and  now 
I  am  not  ready  to  die.'  On  a  second  visit  the  dying 
youth  exclaimed,  '  I  was  not  ready  to  seek  God  at 
the  meeting,  I  was  not  ready  to  die  when  the  mes- 
sage came,  and  now  I  am  not  ready  to  lie  down  in 
hell !  My  two  weeks  have  not  yet  elapsed  when  I 
hoped  to  have  made  my  peace  with  God,  and  sick- 
ness, death  and  hell  have  overtaken  me,  and  1  am 
forever  lost.'  " 

"  Ah !  who  can  speak  the  vast  dismay, 

That  fills  the  sinners  mind, 
When  torn  by  death's  strong  hand  away, 

He  leaves  his  all  behind !'' 


A  CONVENIENT  SEASON. 

-"  Go  thy  way  for  this  time  when  I  have  a 
convenient  season  I  will  call  for  thee.-' 

"  Many,"  says  the  pastor  of  a  large  congregation, 
•*  flatter  themselves  that  they  shall  die  in  a  decline^ 


148  A   CONVENIENT    SEASON. 

and  shall  then  have  a  convenient  season  to  prepare 
for  death.  But  long  experience  shows  that  even 
those  who  thus  die  find  that  it  has  seized  upon  them 
in  a  most  unexpected  hour.  The  consumption  is 
called  a  flattering  disease.  It  is  true — yes  doubly 
true.  It  flatters  us  in  distant  prospect,  with  the 
promise  of  certain  repentance.  And  when  it  comes, 
it  flatters  us  into  the  belief  that  its  withering  hand 
is  not  upon  us  till  we  are  perishing  in  its  grasp — 
the  dreadtul  work  done — and  the  fancied  favorable 
hour  gone  utterly  beyond  recall ! 

"  Alas,  how  very  few  have  ever  repented  while 
declining  under  the  power  of  this  disease !  And 
where  was  the  individual  ever  found  who  could 
pronounce  it  in  his  own  case  a  convenient  season  ! 

"  Now.  if  experience  shows  that  Christ's  declara- 
tion is  strictly  true  in  that  case  on  which  above  all 
others,  n^en  fondly  doat,  what  can  be  expected 
when  death  comes  in  some  more  violent  and  sudden 
manner. 

"  Would  you  correctly  estimate  the  opportunity 
then  aftbrded,  let  this  estimate  be  founded  on  facts 
and  not  on  vain  imagination.  Go  and  stand  over 
the  sick  bed  of  a  fellow  mortal  who  has  deferred  re- 
pentance to  that  hour.  See  him  in  every  stage  of 
disease.  Mark  him  while  tortured  with  those  fierce 
pains  which  violent  disease  inflicts  in  its  first  as- 
sault. With  what  lion  strength  it  grapples  on  its 
victim  •  and  his  strong  nature  while  yet  unsubdued, 
strugp-Img  and  buffeting  amid  the  billows  of  dis- 
ease. In  the  anguish  of  the  first  onset  he  has  no 
moipent  and  no  thought  to  bestow  on  a  preparation 
for  death.  Visit  him  again  at  a  subsequent  period, 
whe^  his  malady  begins  to  gain  the  mastery  of  hia 
coa'^itution,  and  h?  has  no  longer  the  strength  to 


A    CONVENIENT    SEASON.  149 

sustain  nor  Ine  sensibility  to  feel  such  tossing,  rack- 
ing agonies. 

"  You  see  him  more  still  and  silent.  What  is 
now  the  spectacle  ?  Is  this  comparative  calm  which 
has  succeeded  the  convenient  season  you  are  prom- 
ising yourself?  Leisurely  seated  by  his  bedside, 
you  may  then  watch  what  is  going  forward,  and 
then  judge.  Mark  how  the  destroyer,  who  has 
now  gained  the  mastery  is  more  gradually  brmging 
on  the  fatal  event. 

''  Gaze  on  the  wan  countenance  of  the  victim  as  he 
lies  exhausted  and  languishing.  The  bloom  and 
freshness  of  health  are  exchanged  for  the  livid  im- 
age of  death.  See  the  now  imploring,  now  de- 
spairing eye  he  turns  on  his  physician.  And  now 
he  reclines  in  quiet  for  a  momentary  respite.  Na- 
ture is  left  to  breathe  and  gather  a  little  strength  to 
bear  up  through  another  struggle. 

"  During  this  little  season  of  stillness,  approach, 
and  in  a  soft  and  sympathizing  tone  ask  the  poor 
soul  the  question  if  he  is  enjoying  that  convenient, 
that  happy  season  to  make  his  peace  with  God 
which  he  used  to  promise  himself  on  the  dying  bed. 
Ask  him  if  this  is  such  an  hour  as  he  had  thought 
of  in  which  to  meet  the  Son  of  Man.  Oh  !  the 
iron  heart  cannot  be  found  in  the  bosom  of  man  to 
put  such  a  question  at  such  a  time  !  You  know 
the  answer  he  would  give.  And  you  know  the 
agony  of  horror  with  which  such  a  question  must 
overwhelm  his  sinking  spirit. 

"  If  not  utterly  stupid,  the  thought  of  that  delu- 
sion which  made  him  presume  on  a  death-bed  re- 
pentance strikes  as  a  dagger  to  his  heart.  V^isit 
such  a  scene  as  this  and  it  will  repeat  in  your  ears, 
with  more  than  an  earthly  emphasis,  that  kind  but 
rejected  premonition  of  the  Saviour — •  in  such  an 
13* 


150  A    CONVENIENT    SEASON. 

hour  as  ye  think  not  the  Son  of  Man  cometh.* 
Such,  O  precious  but  deluded  fellow-mortal,  will 
you  soon  find  it,  if,  while  in  health,  you  continue 
to  postpone  your  prepara.ion  to  meet  him.  When 
flesh  and  heart  fail  j^ou.  you  will  then  mourn  at 
the  last  and  say.  How  have  I  hated  instruction,  and 
mine  heart  despised  reproof" — Christian  Spectator. 


There  are  but  few  we  have  reason  to  believe  in 
this  land  of  light  and  privilege,  who  have  not  been 
the  subjects  of  religious  conviction  ;  few.  who  have 
not  meditated  often  and  seriously  on  that  eternity 
which  lies  beyond  the  isthmus  of  death.  In  this 
situation  many  like  Felix  have  trembled.  Like 
him  too  they  have  resolved  to  re-consider  their  case. 
But  engaged  in  business,  or  absorbed  m  pleasure, 
they  have  said  in  their  hearts,  to  the  admonitory 
voice  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  '-go  thy  way  for  this 
time,  when  I  have  a  convenient  season  I  will  call 
for  thee."  Ah,  victim  of  procrastination  !  did  you 
but  know  that  the  pursuits  which  now  lead  you 
to  reply  like  Felix,  are  likely  to  cheat  you  out  of 
immortal  life,  you  would  at  least  pause  and  con- 
sider. 

There  is  but  a  step,  sinner,  between  you  and 
death,  and  yet  yon  are  saying  to  the  Holy  Spirit 
(the  only  Being  that  can  renew  you,  and  fit  yoL 
for  heaven,)  to  this  Spirit  you  are  saying,  "  go  thy 
way  for  this  time — 1  must  attend  to  the  concerni 
of  my  soul,  and  I  intend  doing  it,  but  for  the  pres- 
ent I  must  be  excused."  Fatal  delusion  '  all  but 
eternally  lost,  and  yet  not  ready  to  make  your  peace 
with  God  ;  unprepared  to  die,  and  yet  not  ready 
to  make  preparation  !    O  sinner  what  can  be  done 


A.   CONVENIENT    SEASON.  151 

to  lead  you  to  serious  reflection  on  the  imminent 
peril  of  your  soul.  Why  will  you  not  learn  by 
the  experience  of  others,  that  postponement  in  ten 
thousand  instances  has  resulted  in  eternal  death. 
And  will  you,  must  you,  dare  you,  make  an  experi- 
ment which  has  proved  the  destruction  of  untold 
numbers?  If  you  suffer  your  deceitful  heart  to 
continue  its  cheating-  a  little  longer,  you  will  be 
beyond  the  reach  of  hope.  The  folly,  however,  of 
this  excuse  is  not  the  only  danger.  It  is  an  insult 
to  your  Creator  and  Redeemer,  which  he  will  not 
overlook.  While  God  says,  now  is  the  accepted 
time,  shall  man  reply  to-morrow !  O  what  presump- 
tion !  what  high-handed  rebellion !  who  can  esti- 
mate the  enormity  of  such  guilt? 

Alas,  the  victims  of  to-morrow^ s  promises  people  the 
dreary  regions  o^  despair.  How  many  mourn  over 
theirfatal  resolutions  of  repentingto-morrow, — when 
to-morrow  came,  it  was  to-morrow  still,  until  death 
came  and  ushered  them  unprepared  into  the  pres- 
ence of  their  Judge.  And  now  to-morrows  are  to 
them  unknown,  save  only  as  they  are  reminded  of 
their  abused  privileges  on  earth;  before  them  is 
one  unvarying,  unbroken  eternity. 

'■  GRIEVE  NOT  THE  SPIRIT."— Era.  iv.  30. 

And  canst  thou,  sinner,  slight 

The  call  of  love  divine  ? 
Shall  God.  with  tenderness  invite. 

And  gain  no  thought  of  thine  ? 
Wilt  thou  not  cease  to  grieve 

The  Spii'it  from  thy  breast, 
Till  he  thy  wretched  soul  shall  leave, 

With  all  thy  sins  oppress'd  ? 
To-day,  a  pard'ning  God 

Will  hear  the  suppliant  pray; 
To-day,  a  Saviour's  cleansing  blood 

Will  wash  thy  guilt  away. 


152  ADDRESS   T)   YOUNG   MEN. 


ADDRESS  TO  YOUNG  MEN. 

"  Perhaps  the  writer  is  addressing-  some  irre* 
ligious  young  man.  If  so,  my  young  friend,  harden 
not  your  heart  against  the  admonitions,  that  might, 
if  regarded,  do  you  good  forever.  Among  young 
men  there  is  much  daring  wickedness :  and  a 
greater  proportion  of  them  than  of  the  other  sex 
are  wicked  ;  and  they  harden  each  other  in  w^icked- 
ness.  Thus  muhitudes  act.  Every  Sabbath  is 
profaned.  At  home  or  abroad,  on  the  land  or  on 
the  sea,  they  have  not  the  least  regard  for  its  sacred- 
ness ;  but  do  their  own  work,  and  seek  their  own 
pleasure.  Look  at  the  course  of  many  young 
men.  Some  are  lewd  and  drunken,  the  tempters 
of  the  other  sex,  the  disgrace  of  their  own,  and  the 
destroyers  of  themselves.  Is  their  state  a  safe  or 
happy  one  ?  Ah,  no  !  it  is  one  of  accumulating 
guilt  and  constant  danger.  Many  die  the  victims 
of  youthful  lusts.  Others  meet  death  in  some 
drunken  fit,  and  are  suddenly  hurried  from  the 
company  of  the  alehouse  to  the  society  of  devils. 
So  common  is  this,  that  frequently,  in  a  single 
week,  the  public  prints  record  several  mstances  of 
persons  thus  in  the  midst  of  their  sins  snatched  into 
eternity. 

"  From  viewing  such  characters  turn  to  another. 
Behold  the  infidel.  Though  he  knows  little  or 
nothing,  and  has  perhaps  never  read  the  Bible  in 
his  life,  he  is  too  wise  in  his  own  conceit  to  listen 
to  its  sacred  truths,  and  dares  to  despise  that  book 
which  Milton,  and  Newton,  and  Locke,  and  Wash 
ington,  and  the  greatest  anu  the  wisest  of  men  have 
reverenced  as  divine.     He  scorns  instruction.     But 


ADDRESS    TO    YOUNG    XEN.  153 

what  is  his  condition  ?  is  it  one  of  peace  and  safety  ? 
Ah,  no.  God  will  bring-  him  into  judgment.  He 
cannot  live  always,  nor  always  sit  in  the  scorner's 
chair.  He  cannot  always  jest  at  religion.  He 
may  laugh  now  at  its  solemn  truths,  but  laughter 
will  not  drive  death  and  hell  away.  What  is  his 
peace  and  support  ?  Let  those  who  have  been 
like  him  declare.  A  devoted  Christian,  who  when 
a  young  man  was  an  infidel,  remarks,  '  I  was  a 
professed  infidel,  but  then  I  liked  to  be  an  infidel 
in  company  rather  than  alone.  /  was  wretched 
when  by  myself} 

"  A  visitor  to  one  who  had  scorned  the  Bible, 
states,  I-  found  him  in  the  full  possession  of  his 
mental  faculties,  but  much  agitated  and  alarmed  by 
a  sense  of  his  great  sinfulness  and  approaching 
misery.  About  six  months  before  the  time  at 
which  I  saw  him,  he  had  been  deprived  of  his  wife 
by  death.  To  suppress  the  sorrow  occasioned  by 
this  loss,  he  went  frequently  to  a  public  house  :  and 
there  he  found  companions  whose  mirth  caused 
him  to  forget  for  a  moment  his  troubles.  At  first 
he  was  surprised  and  shocked  at  their  profaneness, 
but  he  soon  proved  '  that  evil  communications  cor- 
rupt good  manners.'  These  men  were  infidels, 
and  it  was  not  long  before  they  persuaded  their 
new  associate  to  imitate  their  example,  in  abandon 
ing  the  profession  and  casting  oflf  the  restraints  of 
religion.  On  Sunday  mornings  they  met  to  en- 
courasfe  each  other  m  all  manner  of  wickedness, 
and  on  one  of  these  occasions,  according  to  previous 
agreement,  they  together  committed  their  Bibles  to 
the  flames,  and  vowed  never  again  to  enter  a  place 
of  religious  worship.  All  this,  said  the  wretched 
man,  did  well  enough  while  I  was  in  health,  and 
could  keep  off  the  thoughts  of  death.     Now,  how- 


154  ADDRESS    TO    YOUNG   MEN. 

ever,  he  was  stretched  upon  a  hed  of  sickness,  and 
conscious  of  his  near  approach  to  eternity  ;  in  this 
state  forced  to  reflection,  his  guilt  and  danger  ex- 
cited the  utmost  horror  and  alarm ;  despair  had 
taken  full  possession  of  his  mind.  When  I  spoke 
to  him  of  the  mercy  and  forgiveness  which  the  most 
heinous  offenders  are  encouraged  to  seek  through 
the  mediation  of  a  Redeemer,  he  hastily  exclaimed, 
'what's  the  use  of  talking  to  me  about  mercy?' 
When  intreated  again  and  again  to  '  behold  the 
Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world  ;'  he  said,  '  I  tell  you  it's  of  no  use  now  ;  'tis 
too  late — 'tis  too  late.'  In  reply  to  my  exhortation  to 
pray ;  '  Oh  !  I  could  pray  once^  but  no w  I  cau't  pray ;' 
and  after  a  pause,  •  I  will  not  pray.'  Two  men 
having  entered  the  room,  whom  I  understood  to 
have  been  leaders  in  the  guilty  company  by  whom 
this  poor  man  had  been  deluded,  he  hastily  turned 
his  face  from  them  with  obvious  disgust  and  ter- 
ror ;  and  after  they  had  addressed  to  him  some 
blustering  expressions,  by  which  they  hoped  to 
rally  his  spirits,  he  raised  himself  on  his  bed,  lifted 
up  his  hands,  and  in  the  most  deliberate  and  solemn 
manner  called  on  God  Almighty  to  blast  those 
wretches  to  all  eternity  !  They  almost  immediately 
left  the  apartment,  uttering  a  profusion  of  oaths. 
Some  time  afterwards  three  others  of  the  wretched 
men  entered,  and  occasioned  a  repetition  of  the  im- 
precations which  it  was  impossible  for  any  to  hear 
without  shuddering. 

"  After  I  had  been  with  him  about  two  hours, 
during  which  time  he  frequently  repeated  such  ex- 
pressions as  have  been  stated,  he  became  quite  in- 
different to  what  was  said  to  him,  rolling  about  on 
his  bed,  and  now  and  then  ejaculating,  '  Mt/  Bible  ! 
Oh  !  tke  Bible  /'     His  eyes  were  for  several  minutes 


ADDRESS    TO    YOUNG    MEN.  155 

fixed  on  me.  but  he  seemed  not  to  hear  the  ques- 
tions and  intreaties  which  I  continued  to  address  to 
him.  He  then  concealed  his  face  by  turning  it  to 
the  pillow  ;  and  after  having  remained  in  this  posi- 
tion a  quarter  of  an  hour,  his  whole  frame  was 
violently  convulsed  ;  he  groaned  and  then  again 
was  still  ;  and  whilst  I  was  speaking  to  the  by- 
standers, he  expired.  'It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall 
into  the  hands  of  the  living  God.' 

"See  a  young  man  that  ranks  not  thus  openly 
with  the  enemies  of  holiness.  He  spends  his  Sab- 
baths in  worldly  company,  on  the  newspaper,  or 
in  mere  secular  business,  or  sinful  amusements. 
He  neglects  all  piety.  He  lives  a  prayerless  life. 
In  vain  for  him  the  Christian  minister  proclaims 
the  tidings  of  heavenly  love.  He  treats  those  won- 
ders on  which  angels  gaze  astonished,  with  utter 
indifference.  But  what  is  his  condition  1  is  he  safe 
and  blest  ?  Ah,  no  !  ruin,  only  ruin  lies  before 
him.  He  is  exposed  to  utter  danger,  to  eternal 
destruction.  Yet  he  is  vigorous,  and  fears  no  ill. 
True,  but  health  may  soon  leave  him.  It  has  left 
millions  once  as  fearless  and  vigorous ;  and  they, 
guilty  and  ruined,  have  sunk  into  the  grave.  In- 
sensibility lessens  not  his  guilt  nor  his  danger. 

"  Behold  a  young  man  different  from  all  these. 
He  respects  religion,  treats  its  truths  with  reverence, 
its  friends  with  kindness.  No  open  profanity  or 
vice  marks  his  conduct.  As  far  as  the  outward 
observance  of  many  divine  precepts  is  concerned, 
he  can  say  with  a  young  man  of  old,  'all  these 
have  I  kept  from  my  youth.'  He  is  regular  at  the 
house  of  God,  and  is  generally  esteemed  and  be- 
loved. Yet  his  heart  is  not  given  to  Christ.  He 
has  not  surrendered  himself  to  the  Saviour.  What 
is  his  condition  ?     Alas !  with  all  that  is  so  promis- 


156  ADDRESS   TO   YOUNG   MEN. 

ing,  he  is  still  perishing.  Though  he  joins  not 
the  scoffer  and  the  drunkard,  still  while  he  receivea 
not  the  Saviour  he  belongs  to  the  same  wretched 
family  as  they.  Unhappy  youth  !  that  meets  with 
Christians,  yet  has  no  part  with  Christ ;  that  shum 
the  place  where  scoffers  and  blasphemers  meet,  ye 
has  no  more  interest  in  the  Saviour  than  they,  am 
is  hastening  to  the  same  dark  dwelling  of  despair. 

"  But  see  a  young  man  different  from  all  these 
He  is  the  humble  and  devoted  disciple  of  the  blessed 
Jesus.  If  once  a  profligate  or  a  Sabbath  breaker. 
he  now  hates  all  the  paths  of  sin,  and  loves  the  Sab 
batli  he  profaned.  Religion  is  the  element  i» 
which  he  lives.  Prayer  his  pleasure;  the  Bibli 
his  guide  ;  the  friends  of  Christ  his  beloved  asso 
ciates.  Youth  cannot  beguile  him  with  its  delusions 
Whatever  prospects  of  opening  life  are  before  him 
he  looks  to  higher  prospects  and  to  fairer  scene.  • 
beyond  the  limits  of  earth  and  time.  God  is  hi^ 
God.  The  Saviour  is  his  all ;  and  heavenly  man- 
sions his  expected  home.  Happy  young  man ! 
He  possesses  the  good  part  that  shall  not  be  taken 
away  from  him. 

"  Which  of  these  very  different  characters  do 
you  resemble  ?  If  the  latter,  give  God  the  praise. 
If  any  of  the  former,  ruin  is  before  you.  O,  flee 
from  the  paths  of  youthful  sin  and  folly !  or  you 
will  find,  too  late,  that  the  way  of  transgressors  -J 
hard." 


PRAYER  OP  A  YOUTH.— PsAUfs  cxix.  9. 

With  humble  heart  and  tongue, 

My  God,  to  thee  I  pray  ; 
Oh^  make  me  learn  while  I  am  young, 

How  I  may  cleanse  my  way. 


POOR    WILLIAX.  157 

Make  an  unguarded  youth 

The  object  of  thy  care ; 
Help  me  to  choose  the  way  of  truth, 

And  fly  from  every  snare. 

My  heart  to  folly  prone, 

Renew'd  by  power  divine ; 
Unite  it  to  thyself  alone, 

And  make  me  wholly  thine. 

Oh,  let  thy  word  of  grace 

My  warmest  thoughts  employ ; 
Be  this  through  all  my  following  days, 

My  treasure  and  my  joy. 


POOR  WILLIA3I. 

'  The  grace  of  God  is  displayed  no  less  in  the? 
depths  of  poverty  and  ignorance  to  which  it  de- 
scends, than  in  the  higher  walks  of  life  of  which  it 
forms  the  brightest  ornament.  This  truth  has  a- 
pleasing  illustration  in  the  following  narrative  of 
poor  William,  whom  the  writer  well  knew,  and. 
who  was  born  in ,  Conn,  about  the  year  1740; 

"  He  was  lame  and  deformed,  and  could  never-' 
stand  upright  or  walk  unless  supported  by  two- 
staves.  His  parents  were  poor  ;  he  had  not  .strength 
of  limb  to  use  the  implements  of  husbandry :  his- 
speech  was  so  indistinct  as  scarcely  to  be  understood 
by  strangers,  and  his  mind  and  memory  were  so 
weak  that  all  efforts  to  teach  him  to  read  seemed 
to  be  unavailing.  His  condition  was  also  appar- 
ently rendered  more  hopeless  by  the  fact  that,  in 
the  inability  of  his  parents  to  support  so  helpless  a 
child,  he  was  early  separated  from  them  by  the  au* 
14 


158  POOR   WILLIAM. 

thorities  of  the  town,  but  he  wa5  happily  placed  in 
a  religious  and  worthy  family. 

"  Here  he  early  discovered  uncommon  depravity 
He  was  cross,  intractable,  mischievous,  perverse. 
He  seemed  almost  destitute  of  reflection  or  con- 
science of  right  and  wrong  ;  he  g;ive  way  to  an  un- 
controlled appetite  whether  for  food  or  strong  drink, 
and  often  used  the  most  profane,  obscene  and  oppro- 
brious language,  and  thus  exhibited  without  re- 
straint, and  in  its  most  fearful  aspects,  the  nacive  de- 
pravity of  the  human  heart.  He  gave  no  indica- 
tions of  religious  influence  on  his  mmd,  or  any  just 
apprehension  of  God  or  the  future  world,  and 
could  be  controlled  only  by  the  fear  of  corporeal 
punishment. 

"  Young  children,  who  were  weaker  than  him- 
self, it  was  his  pleasure  to  annoy  by  running  after 
them  as  he  could  with  his  two  staves  and  bent  body, 
or  throwing  sticks  or  stones  at  them,  so  mat  iie  be- 
came the  terror  of  the  neighborhood.  Few  human 
beings,  probably,  have  had  less  in  them  that  was  at- 
tractive or  hopeful  as  to  the  present  or  future  world. 
Thus  poor  William  continued  till  near  middle  life, 
loving  no  one,  beloved  by  no  one,  deformed  in  soul 
and  body,  and  verifying  the  appalling  description 
of  the  apostle,  '  hateful  and  hating  one  another.' 

"  '  Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or  the  leop- 
ard his  spots.  Then  may  they  also  do  good  who 
are  accustomed  to  do  evil,'  and  by  the  power  of 
superabounding  grace,  vile,  degraded  William  may 
yet  '  shine  above  the  brightness  of  the  firmament, 
and  as  the  stars  forever  and  ever.' 

"  A  little  before  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  when 
the  state  of  religion  throughout  the  country  was 
generally  low,  the  presence  of  the  Spirit  was  en- 
joyed by  the  people  among  whom  Willia^r.  dwelt  j 


POOR  ".vr.LiAX.  159 

fTiany  promising  youths  were  brought  to  Christ, 
and  in  the  fervor  of  their  love  and  joy  they  some- 
times, between  the  public  exercise  of  the  Sabbath  in 
summer,  gathered  under  the  shadow  of  a  tree  near 
the  house  of  God,  where  they  conversed,  read,  and 
sung  hymns  of  praise.  One  day  poor  William, 
who  often  attended  the  sanctuary,  strolled  in  among 
them,  and  whether  by  what  he  saw  or  by  any  spe- 
cial warnings  addressed  to  him  is  unknown,  but 
the  Holy  Spirit  there  reached  his  heart,,  arousing 
his  conscience,  alarmmg  him  on  accounc  of  his  sins, 
and  drawing  his  attention  to  the  concerns  of  his  soul. 

"  Now  his  feeble  mind,  which  had  been  unstable 
as  water,  and  never  before  was  known  to  be  per- 
manently affected  by  any  thing  that  did  not  appeal 
directly  to  his  senses,  became  fixed  on  the  subject 
of  his  salvation  and  preparation  to  meet  his  final 
Judge.  He  was  terrified  at  the  view  of  his  dark 
and  hopeless  condition  as  a  sinner,  and  earnestly 
implored  instruction,  nor  was  he  satisfied  with  any 
thiiig  until  Christ,  the  great  atoning  sacrifice  for 
sin,  the  '  one  Mediator  between  God  and  man,'  was 
clearly  set  down  before  him.  His  pastor  spared  no 
pains  to  pour  the  simplest  Gospel  truths  into  his 
dark  min-d,  and  most  evidently  the  Holy  Spirit 
gave  peace  to  his  soul  through  faith  in  a  crucified 
Redeemer. 

•'  From  that  time  no  profane  or  irreverent  lan- 
guage escaped  his  lips  ;  he  was  no  longer  perverse 
and  mischievous  ;  he  was  now  easily  controlled  in 
respect  to  the  evil  habits  he  had  forme  I,  and  became 
submissive  and  gentle  as  a  child.  He  feared  and 
loved  God.  Nothing  delighted  him  more  than  to 
hear  Christians  talk  of  Christ,  the  riches  of  his 
mercy,  and  all  he  has  done  to  save  lost  men.  His 
wild   co^intenance   assumed  a   milder   aspect ;   his 


160  POOR    WILLIAM. 

temper  became  peaceful  and  happy,  and  little  chil 
dren  flocked  to  him  and  delighted  in  him  as  a  com- 
panion in  their  harmless  sports.  The  transforma- 
tion was  observed  by  the  older  and  more  discerning 
with  astonishment,  for  they  saw  in  him  marked 
evidence  that  he  had  indeed  become  a  '  new  crea- 
ture in  Christ  Jesus.' 

"It  was  at  first  doubted  by  some  whether  one  so 
weak  in  mind  should  be  received  into  the  church, 
but  he  professed  his  faith  in  receiving  baptism,  and 
was  admitted  to  full  communion.  He  showed  a 
peculiar  love  to  the  people  of  God,  and  when  he 
learned  that  others  were  seriously  inclined,  would 
visit  them  and  inquire  after  their  state  with  a  sim- 
plicity and  seriousness  often  truly  affecting.  His 
faithful  pastor  was  especially  endeared  to  him. 

"  William's  Christian  walk  was  generally  consis- 
tent. In  a  few  instances  he  was  known  to  exhibit 
a  wrong  temper,  but  his  sorrow  for  it  was  most  sin- 
cere. On  one  occasion,  before  the  present  princi- 
ples of  total  abstinence  from  intoxicating  drinks 
prevailed,  a  designing  young  man,  bemg  alone 
with  him,  gave  him  a  sweet  mixed  liquor  by  which 
he  was  intoxicated.  When  he  came  to  himself  and 
knew  what  had  been  done  he  cried  and  wept  bit- 
terly, and  gave  the  most  satisfactory  evidence  of 
true  repentance  before  God  and  man.  Generally  he 
was  happy  in  the  enjoyment  of  God  and  the  antici- 
pation of  heaven.  Sometimes  he  was  clouded  with 
fears  and' temptations,  but  he  would  say,  '  the  aevij 
comes,  picks  me  all  to  pieces — I  cry — pray  hard 
to  my  blessed  master — and  the  devil  then  goes 
away.'  Thus  William  pursued  his  course  till  the 
Master  called  him  to  sit  down  in  his  kingdom. 

"  Can  the  deniers  of  the  Bible  and  of  the  truths 
distinguished  as   evangelical  produce,  m   all  their 


STRIVING    WITH    OUR    MAKER.  161 

annals,  such  an  example  of  moral  elevation  as  was 
fflfected  in  poor  William  ?  Did  deism  or  univer- 
salism  ever  work  such  a  change  ?  Such  results 
are  effected  only  by  the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God. 

"  Is  the  reader,  with  all  his  superior  advantages, 
'  living  without  God,  having  no  hope  in  the 
world?'  Let  not  poor  William  stand  in  the  judg- 
ment a  witness  against  you.  '  Christ'  must  be 
formed  'in  you  the  hope  of 'glory,' or  to  the'hea 
ven  where  poor  William's  stammering  tongue  now 
lifts  the  song  of  praise  you  can  never  come  ;  but 
like  him,  '  seek  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found,' 
sincerely  and  with  all  your  heart,  and  your  salvation 
is  secure.  T.  S  " 

Ye  dying  sons  of  men, 

Immerg'd  in  sin  and  woe^ 

The  gospel's  voice  attend, 

While  Jesus  sends  to  you  ; 
Ye  perishing  and  guilty  come, 
In  Jesus'  arms  there  yet  is  room. 

No  longer  now  delay ; 

No  vain  excuses  frame , 

He  bids  you  come  to-day, 

Though  poor,  and  blind  and  lame . 
All  things  are  ready,  sinners,  come ! 
For  every  trembling  soul  there's  room 


"WOE  UNTO  HBI  THAT  STRIVETH  WITH  HIS 

MKER."— Isaiah  xl.  9. 

"  Man  displays  his  folly  in  a  multitude  of  ways, 

but  in  none  more  than  by  the  conduct  intimated  in 

the  words  now  read.     Not  only  folly,  but  danger, 

are   here   intimated      '  Woe   to  him  that   striveth 

14* 


162  STKIVING    WITH    OUR    ?IAKER. 

with  his  Maker.'  Thousands  are  ruined  for 
want  of  due  consideration  ;  of  seriously,  frequently, 
and  impartially  considering  the  nature  and  ten- 
dency of  their  conduct,  its  unreasonableness  and 
danger.  May  I  therefore  be  permitted,  to  entreat, 
and  solemnly  to  call  upon  all  the  ungodly  who 
hear  me,  to  attend  to  the  following  considerations 
in  illustration  of  the  text. 

"  First.  God  is  our  Maker,  and  therefoie,  we  are 
all  bound  to  venerate  and  serve  him.  Can  any 
proposition  be  more  obviously  true  upon  the  men- 
tioning, than  that  the  creature  formed  should  obey 
Him  that  formed  him  ?  What  hast  thou,  O  sinner, 
that  thou  hast  not  received  of  God  ?  Who  hast 
made  thee  to  differ  from  the  beasts  of  the  field,  or 
the  clods  of  the  valley  ?  Who  hast  implanted  rea- 
son, intelligence,  conscience,  and  all  those  mental 
faculties  which  exalt  thee  above  the  brute  creation, 
or  perhaps  above  thy  fellow-man  ?  Whence  these 
countless  and  nameless  advantages,  both  of  mind 
and  body,  but  from  thy  Creator  ?  Why  then  with- 
hold thy  veneration  and  obedience  1 

"  A  second  consideration  calls,  O  sinner,  for  thy 
obedience  and  service  ;  God  is  not  only  thy  Maker 
but  He  is  thy  preserver.  Yes,  you  reply,  who 
does,  or  who  can  deny  this  plain  truth  ?  He  only 
who  denies  the  existence  of  a  God  can  deny  it. 
Why  then,  if  acknowledgment  of  the  truth  is  so 
general,  why  is  its  influence  so  partial,  and  so 
feeble  upon  human  conduct? 

"  O  thou  careless,  prayerless,  and  thoughtless  crea- 
ture, how  many  are  the  dangers  from  which  thy 
Maker  has  protected  and  preserved  thee !  how 
many  in  the  days  of  thy  youth,  when  diseases,  and 
dangers,  and  deaths  in  many  forms  surround  thee, 
and  proved  fatal  to  many  of  your  age  and  neigh- 


STRIVING    WITH    OUR    ^lAKER.  163 

borhood  !  Why  did  you  recover,  while  they  went 
down  to  the  chambers  of  an  early  grave?  Tell, 
if  you  can,  the  many  dangers  and  hair-breadth 
escapes  that  you  have  experienced  in  riper  years ; 
and  yet,  while  warring  against  the  Maker,  He  has 
been  sheltering,  protecting,  and  blessing  thee.  Say, 
O  sinner,  what  meaneth  this  conduct  ?  Blush,  if 
thou  canst,  and  without  delay,  repent,  and  reform  ; 
for  except  you  repent,  you  must  perish. 

"  Reflect  again,  that  thy  Maker  has  been  thy 
bountiful  benefactor;  who  can  deny  this  plain, 'this 
universal  fact?  Now,  it  is  universally  granted  that 
no  crime  is  more  odious  and  detestable  among  men 
than  the  sin  of  ingratitude  ;  those  who  cannot  re- 
turn a  favor  in  kind,  may  and  ought  to  be  grateful  to 
the  generous  donor.  Now,  whai  are  all  or  any  of 
the  favors  which  one  man  can  be.stow  upon  another, 
compared  to  the  countless  favors  bestowed  upon  us 
by  our  heavenly  Father  ?  Ingratitude  towards 
him  rises  in  exact  proportion.  Reflect  seriously 
then,  O  sinner,  upon  thy  sinful  ingratitude,  and  in- 
stantly repent  and  reform. 

"  We  read,  that  when  Moses  returned  from 
Mount  Sinai,  where  he  had  been  receiving  the 
tables  of  the  law,  when  he  came  to  the  confines  of 
the  camp,  he  found  a  tumult,  and  the  people  wor- 
shipping and  dancing  around  the  calf  that  Aaron 
had  improperly  made  at  their  request.  The  sight 
filled  him  with  indignation,  and  he  exclaimed,  '  who 
is  on  the  Lord's  side?  let  him  come  to  me.'  In 
similar  language,  I  now  call  upon  you,  fellow  men, 
saying,  who  among  you  are  on  the  Lord's  side  ? 
Do  sincerely  reflect,  and  let  your  consciences  give 
an  immediate  and  impartial  answer.  And  know, 
for  certain,  that  there  can  be  no  resisting  an  answer 
—there  can  be  no  neatrality  in  this  case.     Thers 


164  STRIVING    WITH    OUR    MAKER. 

are  many  instances  where  men  may  refuse  their 
vote,  their  concurrence,  their  aid,  their  counsel,  and 
be  blameless  ;  but  such  cannot  be  the  case  here : 
for  every  one  that  is  not  for  God  is  against  Him. 
What  says  conscience  then  ?  Are  there  not  many, 
who,  by  their  criminal  conduct  and  their  neglect  of 
acknowledged  duty,  are  convinced  that  they  are 
striving  with  their  Maker  ?  say,  then,  what  do  you 
expect  to  reap  by  such  conduct  ?  Must  it  be  pro- 
ductive of  peace,  joy,  and  comfort  in  this  life,  and 
felicity  in  the  life  to  come  ?  No,  no  !  quite  the  re- 
verse. 'Woe  to  him  that  striveth  with  his  Maker.' 
Sorrow,  anguish,  and  remorse  must  pray  upon  his 
guilty  mind  when  awaked  to  a  sense  of  sin,  and 
awakened  it  must  be  if  not  in  this  life,  to  repen- 
tance and  reformation,  in  the  life  to  come,  to  unut- 
terable anguish  and  despair.  Whoever  hardened 
himself  against  God  and  prospered?  The  adver- 
saries of  the  Lord  shall  be  broken  in  pieces  ;  out  of 
Heaven  shciU  he  thunder  upon  them.  Think,  O 
unconverted  man,  of  thy  sin  and  danger  in  time. 
It  is  for  thy  benefit,  and  for  thy  salvation  that  I 
have  directed  your  attention  to  this  solemn  subject 
to-day.  Be  no  longer  careless,  indifferent,  or  prayer- 
less,  but  instantly  turn  to  God,  by  breaking  off  thy 
evil,  ruinous  courses.  Now,  now-, — for  none  can 
tell  hovv  soon  the  stroke  of  death  may  place  you  in 
the  land  of  darkness  and  despair.  Death  may  al- 
ready h^ve  received  the  command  to  cut  you  down 
as  cumberers  of  the  ground.  While  you  are  hear- 
ing this,  before  the  hand  of  the  clock  shall  have 
reached  the  hour  of  twelve,  thy  soul  may  be  required 
of  thee.  O  awful,  O  tremendous  thought !  A  soul, 
loaded  with  the  sins  of  youth,  riper  years,  nay,  of 
grey  hairs,  hurried  away  into  the  presence  of  the 
great,  the  impartial,  the  universal  Judge !    '  /'I  -re  * 


STRIVING    WITH    OUR    MAKER.  165 

the  man,  where  is  the  heart,  that  does  not  tremble  at 
the  very  reflection,  the  very  possibility  ?  Awake, 
awake,  then,  O  sinner !  arise  from  the  dead,  and 
Christ  shall  give  thee  light,  salvation,  mercy,  par 
don. 

"Suppose  that  the  subjects  of  any  prince  had  re- 
belled against  him,  and  for  their  treason  had  been 
condemned  to  die,  and  were  in  prison,  waiting  the 
awful  moment,  and  supposing  that,  just  when  the 
hour  arrived,  a  messenger  sliould  arrive  with  the  par- 
don of  the  king,  upon  the  condition  of  future  amend- 
ment and  loyal  fidelity.  Who  would  not  gladh^ 
embrace  the  ofl^ered  mercy,  and  gratefully  acknow- 
ledge the  unmerited,  the  unexpected  favor  of  the 
prince  ?  And  now,  behold,  i  bring  you  glad  tid- 
ings of  great  joy — a  pardon,  a  free  and  full  pardon 
of  all  your  sins.  '  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth, 
come  ye  to  the  waters  of  salvation  :  let  the  wicked 
forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his 
thoughts,  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he 
will  have  mercy  upon  him,  and  to  our  God  for  he 
will  abundantly  pardon.'  Why  should  any  hesi 
tate  or  delay  ?  Who  is  not  ready  to  exclaim, 
'How  beautiful  upon  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of 
Him  that  bringeth  good  tidings,  that  publisheth 
peace,  that  saith  unto  Zion  thy  God  reigneth.'  " — 
Rev.  J.  Hyatt. 

Repent,  the  voice  celestial  cries, 

Nor  longer  dare  delay : 
The  wretch  that  scorn^^  the  mandate  dieg^ 

And  meets  a  fiery  day. 

No  more  the  sovereign  eye  of  God 

O'erlooks  the  crimes  of  men  ; 
His  heralds  are  despatched  abroad 

To  warn  the  'world  of  sia. 


166  THE    FOLir    AND 

Together  in  his  presence  bow, 

And  all  your  guilt  confess  ; 
Accept  the  offer'd  Saviour  now, 

Nor  trifle  with  his  grace. 
Bow,  ere  the  awful  trumpet  sound, 

And  call  you  to  his  bar : 
For  mercy  knows  th'  appointed  bound, 

And  turns  to  vengeance  there. 
Amazing  love,  that  yet  will  call, 

And  yet  prolong  our  days  ! 
Our  hearts,  subdued  by  goodness  fall, 

And  weep,  and  love,  and  praise. 


SERIOUS  QUESTIONS  PROPOSED  TO  NEGLECTERS  OP 
RELIGION,  AND  THE  FOLLY  AND  INEXCUSABLE- 
NESS  OF  DELAY. 

FROM    pike's    eternal    LIFE. 

"  1.  Perhaps,  reader,  you  are  one  of  that  unhap- 
py multitude  that  still  crowd  the  broad  way  which 
leads  to  destruction,  and  upon  whom  all  that  has 
hitherto  been  urged,  has  been  urged  in  vain.  Let 
the  writer  then,  before  he  leaves  you  forever,  ear- 
nestly beg  your  attention  to  a  few  plain  questions, 
most  intimately  connected  with  the  salvation  of 
your  soul. 

"  Is  not  your  soul  worth  saving  ?  That  precious 
treasure  for  which  the  Son  of  God  shed  his  blood, 
and  whose  conversion  would  raise  new  joy  in  hea- 
ven, is  it  not  worth  your  care  ?  If  it  is,  why  do 
you  treat  that  deathless  soul  as  if  it  mattered  noth- 
ing whether  it  be  saved  or  lost,  blessed  or  cursed,  to 
all  eternity!  Yet  this  you  do,  while  refusing  to 
commit  all  to  the  Saviour's  care. 


INEXCUSABLENESS    OF    DELAY.  167 

"  2.  Is  not  God's  love  worth  having  ?  That 
iOvc  perfects  the  happiness  of  saints  and  angels.  In 
it  they  rejoice  and  ever  rejoice,  and  the  want  of 
that  love  insures  the  hopeless  misery  of  the  lost. 
If  the  world  were  yours,  you  would  be  en  undone 
creature  without  that  love  ;  and  if  stripped  of  every 
earthly  good,  would  bo  happy  if  possessed  of  that 
treasure.  And  will  you,  a  poor  dying  mortal,  that 
will  soon,  unless  you  repent,  be  a  dead  sinner,  and 
a  condemned  sinner ;  will  you  treat  that  love,  with 
as  much  disregard  as  if  it  were  deserving  only  of 
infinite  contempt?  Yet  this  you  do  while  you  will 
not  turn  to  God. 

"  3.  Is  God's  heaven  worth  possessing,  and  his 
salvation  worth  enjoying?  or  is  it  not?  If  it  is, 
why  do  you  madly  neglect  so  great  salvation,  and 
obstinately  slight  that  blessed  heaven  ?  Would  j^ou 
wish  God  to  swear  in  his  wrath,  that  you  shall  not 
enter  into  his  rest,  and  that  whoever  may  enjoy 
salvation,  you  shall  have  no  part  in  its  blessings? 
Would  you  not  think  this  a  dreadful  doom  indeed  ? 
Yet  is  it  not  as  bad  to  deprive  your  own  soul  of 
salvation,  by  wicked  carelessness,  by  open  sin,  or 
by  halting  between  two  opinions,  as  it  would  be 
for  God  to  shut  you  out  of  heaven  ?  Rather  is  it 
not  worse  ?  Will  it  not  deepen  the  gloom  of  eter- 
nal night  to  remember,  that  the  fair  inheritance  of 
heaven  was  lost  to  you,  not  because  God  was  un- 
willing you  should  be  saved,  but  by  your  own  sin 
and  folly,  because  you  would  not  seek  salvation  ? 

"  4.  Is  God's  anger  so  trifling,  and  his  indigna- 
tion so  harmless,  that  escape  from  ihem  is  not  worth 
your  care?  You  will  not  assert  that  this  is  the 
case?  why  then,  unhappy  mortal,  trifle  with  that 
dreadful  anger?  and  play,  by  neglecting  salvation, 
with   that   fiery  indignation?      If  once  the   long 


168  THE    FOLLY    AND 

gathering  tempest  of  divine  wrath  break  on  your 
guihy  and  devoted  head,  it  will  beat  upon  your 
naked  soul  in  one  eternal  storm  ;  and  God  ^vill 
forever  'render  indignation  and  wrath,  tribulation 
and  anguish,'  to  you,  an  unhappy  worm,  because 
you  would  not  receive  his  proffered  mercy,  wel- 
come his  beloved  Son,  and  become  his  happy  and 
obedient  child. 

"5.  Is  it  not  worth  your  while  to  escape  from 
hell  ?  is  that  place  of  torment  so  little  to  be  feared, 
that  you  may  heedlessly  rush  into  its  undying 
flame's  ?  Will  the  pleasures  of  sin,  aad  the  pur- 
suits of  folly,  recompense  you  for  enduring  the 
flames  of  damnation  ?  So  surely  as  God  is  true, 
while  you  slight  religion,  thither  you  are  going, 
whether  you  mean  to  win  perdition  or  not,  and  if 
you  do  not  turn,  then  will  you  soon  lift  up  your 
eyes  in  torment.  Unhappy  mortal !  if  you  should, 
surely  the  remembrance  of  abused  mercies,  and 
neglected  warnings,  will  complete  the  bitterness  of 
your  cup  of  misery.  Hell,  in  every  view,  will  be 
norrid,  but  surely  it  will  be  a  dreadful  addition  to 
its  horrors  to  be  compelled  to  reflect, '  I  sunk  my- 
self here.  I  need  never  have  come  to  this  place  of 
misery.  God  waited  on  me,  but  I  would  not  lis- 
ten. A  Saviour  died,  but  I  would  not  give  my  heart 
to  him.  I  chose  the  path  of  death,  and  the  sorrows 
that  I  now  endure.' 

"  6.  What  then  do  you  mean  in  neglecting  the 
salvation  of  your  soul?  Perhaps  you  mean  to 
repent  hereafter,  but  before  that  time  comes,  you 
may  be  in  the  grave  ;  or  God  may  have  given  you 
over  to  a  hardened  heart,  and  may  have  no  mercy 
for  you.  What  then  do  you  mean  in  neglecting 
the  salvation  of  your  soul  ?  Perhaps  you  mean  to 
bllow  the  world,  and   unite  religion  with  its  pur- 


INEXCUSABLENESS    OF    DELAY.  169 

suit.  Alas  !  you  cannot  do  this.  You  may  keep 
the  world  and  hell  with  it,  but  not  the  world  and 
religion  with  it. 

"  7.  Do  you  niean  to  perish  ?  Have  you  made 
up  your  mind  to  sink  to  hell,  to  curse  God  and  die 
eternally?  No!  you  have  no  such  intention. 
But  you  might  as  well  design  this,  as  to  take  the 
way  to  perdition.  You  may  not  mean  to  perish, 
but  if  you  slight  the  Saviour  you  must  perish.  You 
may  not  des'gn  to  be  damned,  but  if  you  neglect 
religion  you  must.  You  may  not  intend  to  lose 
heaven  and  burn  in  hell,  but  if  you  do  not  turn  to 
God  you  must  do  both.  What  you  mean  will 
weigh  nothing  at  the  judgment  bar.  The  inquiry 
will  not  be,  'did  this  sinner  mean  to  go  to  hell?' 
but '  did  he  take  the  way  thither  V  '  Did  he  intend 
to  lose  heaven  V  but,  '  did  he  make  light  of  the  only 
Saviour,  that  could  raise  him  to  eternal  life  V  You 
might  as  well  at  once  mean  to  perish,  make  up 
your  mind  to  be  lost,  and  seriously  and  deliberately 
choose  everlasting  perdition,  as  trifle  with  God  and 
eternity,  with  the  Saviour  and  salvation.  You 
could  but  perish  m  the  former  case,  and  you  will 
surely  perish  in  the  latter.  \i  you  do  not  feel  your 
danger,  insensibility  will  not  ward  it  off  While 
you  are  without  Christ  you  may  sleep,  but  your 
judgment  lingereth  not,  and  your  damnation  slum- 
bereth  not. 

''  8.  If  you  do  not  mean  to  perish,  and  if  indeci- 
sion  will  ruin  you  as  surely  as  if  you  did,  can  you 
be  saved  as  you  are  ?  If  you  are  in  your  sins,  this 
is  utterly  impossible.  '  Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall 
all  likewise  perish.'  '  The  wicked  shall  be  turned 
into  hell'  It  is  not  possible  for  you  to  be  saved 
without  conversion,  for  He  who  is  the  truth  haa 
said, '  ye  must  be  born  again.'  Therefore,  to  hope 
15 


170  THE    FOLLY    AXD 

to  be  saved  in  an  unconverted  state,  is  a  desperate 
and  wicked  hope  indeed.  It  is  to  hope  something 
so  horrid,  that  resolution  is  needed,  to  bring  the  pen 
to  write  it  down.  It  is,  with  reverence  be  it  spoken, 
to  hope  that  the  God  of  truth  and  love  will  prove  a 
liar,  to  save  a  sinner  i7i  his  si/is,  that  might  be  saved 
from  them,  but  tvill  not  turn  to  God.  If  "you  cannot 
be  saved  as  you  are,  can  you  find  another  way  of 
salvation  ?  Blessed  be  God  !  in  the  Gospel  there 
is  one  equal  to  all  your  wants  and  state,  but  that 
one  you  slight.  You  are  not  willing  to  receive  the 
Saviour  in  his  own  way.  '  Other  foundation  can 
no  man  lay,  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Christ 
Jesus.'  There  is  no  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great 
salvation. 

"  9.  If  you  knew  this  were  your  last  day,  would 
you  continue  to  slight  this  precious  salvation  ?  If 
you  had  reason  to  believe  that  when  at  night  you 
close  your  eyes  to  sleep,  you  would  wake  in  eter 
nity,  could  you  then  pursue  your  guilty  course  of 
sin  and  folly  ?  Yet  little  as  you  expect  it,  this  may 
be  the  case.  Not  long  ago,  the  writer  knew  a 
tradesman  apparently  vigorous  and  to  be  feared  a 
man  of  the  world,  who  was  on  a  journey.  He 
spent  the  evening  at  an  inn.  He  was  fond  of  com- 
pany, w\as  cheerful  that  night,  and  sat  up  later  than 
usual.  In  the  morning  he  did  not  rise,  and  some 
one  entered  his  chamber.  There  he  lay,  a  corpse. 
His  bed  was  unruffled,  and  he  appeared  to  have 
died  without  a  struggle,  probably  while  asleep. 
How  solemn  the  change  !  Such  has  been  the  lot 
of  multitudes,  and  it  may  soon  be  yours.  And  if 
it  should,  with  what  awful  surprise,  will  eternity 
open  on  your  unpardoned  spirit !  Multitudes  every 
morning  awake  on  earth,  in  one  place  or  other, 
ihat  before  the  evening  comes  ha^'  e  finished  their 


Es'EXCCSABLEXESS    OF    DELAY.  171 

course,  and  have  gone  to  meet  their  God.  Every 
setting  sun,  many  are  found  inhabitants  of  this 
world,  who  before  the  sun  arises  again,  are  fixed 
beyond  hope  or  fear  in  an  eternal  state.  More 
than  eighty  thousand  human  beings  are  supposed 
to  pass  into  eternity  every  four  and  twenty  hours. 
How  soon  among  these  crowds,  may  you  be  one ! 

"  10.  If  you  could  see  hell  opened  to  you,  could 
behold  the  outer  darkness,  the  burning  flame,  the 
tormented  captives,  would  you  then  be  intent  on 
taking  the  way  to  that  abyss  of  agony?  You 
would  rather  tremble  with  horror  and  dread,  lest 
you  should  be  cast  into  that  pit  of  despair.  Yet 
you  might  as  well  make  such  a  declaration  as 
merely  neglect  and  slight  the  Saviour.  You  can- 
not see  those  regions  of  misery,  and  these  sights  of 
woe,  but  if  you  continue  a  careless  impenitent  sin- 
ner, so  surely  as  God  speaks  true,  you  must.  Yes, 
you  must  embrace  religion^  or  you  must  shortly  see  it 
all,  and  more  than  see  it,  you  must  sink  into  the 
awful  burning  flood. 

••  U.  If  you  could  see  the  wicked  one,  furious 
with  infernal  rage,  and  could  you  hear  him  say, 
'  you  are  mine,  you  are  doing  my  will,  you  are 
accomplishing  my  purposes,  and  you  will  soon  be 
with  me  ;'  would  you  not  almost  die  through  fear 
of  dying  the  slave  of  such  a  horrid  tormentor  ? 
Yet  will  you  not  believe  God  as  readily  as  Satan  ? 
and  if  you  will  believe  God,  you  must  believe,  that 
while  you  have  no  heartfelt  piety,  you  are  the  child 
of  the  devil.  You  are  doing  his  will  in  a  lif*  of 
carelessness  and  sin.  He  seeks  the  damnation  of  your 
soul,  and  whilst  you  slight  Christ,  you  are  accom- 
plishing his  infernal  desires  Every  prayeiless  day 
you  live,  every  warning  you  slight,  every  Sabbath 
you  lireak,  every  conviction  you  overcome,  you  are 


172  THE    FOLLY    AND 

doing  the  will  of  the  wicked  one.  Could  he  speak 
to  you,  he  would  tell  you  to  disreg-ard  this  book, 
and  to  slight  all  the  advice  and  warnings  it  con- 
tains. And  shall  Satan  have  his  way  ?  or  will 
you  disappoint  his  hellish  desires  by  turning  to 
God? 

"  12.  If  looking  into  the  pit  of  perdition  you 
could  hear  the  lost,  amid  the  wailings  of  their  dis- 
tress, address  you,  and  say, '  we  were  once  like  you, 
and  you  will  soon  be  like  us,  3^ou  are  taking  the 
way  which  brought  us  here,  and  shortly  you  will 
join  us,  and  be  all  that  we  are  now  ;^  could  you  hear 
this,  would  you  still  go  on  in  carelessness  ?  But 
will  you  not  believe  God  as  soon  as  a  lost  spirit? 
He  tells  you  in  his  word,  that  if  you  do  not  turn 
you  mu.st  die,  and  that  if  you  die  in  sin,  you  will 
wake  in  hell,  and  will  you  not  believe  Him  ?  and 
if  you  do  believe  Him,  why  flee  not  from  the  wrath 
to  come  ? 

"13.  If  you  could  see  heaven,  and  it  could  be 
said  to  you,  '  follow  Christ,  and  this  will  be  your 
home  ;■'  would  you  say,  '  no  it  shall  not,  T  will  have 
hell  in  preference,  let  those  who  like  it  seek  the  king- 
dom of  God,  but  hell  and  its  horrors  are  my  choice.' 
But  is  not  heaven  as  truly  the  world  of  happiness 
as  if  you  saw  it?  and  are  not  many  now  enjoying 
its  blessings?  and  will  you  not  as  really  lose  it  by 
neglect,  as  if  you  were  to  say,  '  I  will  have  no 
home  there  ?' 

'•  14.  If  you  could  see  the  saints  in  light,  could 
behold  their  peaceful  mansions  and  unfading  crowns, 
and  could  witness  all  their  unalloyed  happiness. 
and  if  one  of  them  could  say  to  you,  'foUow  Christ, 
and  you  will  soon  be  like  us ;'  would  you  say, '  I 
will  not  follow  him,  I  will  n'^ver  seek  either  your 
Bavio'ir,   or   ]  our   home?'      Wouli   you  for   the 


INEXCUSABLENESS    OF    DELAY.  173 

world,  utter  in  words  ^uch  a  declaration  7  Yet  it 
will  come  to  the  same  tiling-  at  last,  whether  you 
resolve  never  to  go  to  their  home,  or  live  careless 
of  him  who  would  lead  you  thither.  Would  such 
a  view,  and  such  a  declaration  from  a  samt  in  light, 
induce  you  to  seek  the  Saviour's  grace  ?  and  will 
you  not  seek  this,  when  the  God  and  Father  of  those 
saints  tells  you  of  a  happy  heaven,  and  promises, 
that  if  you  receive  his  Son,  that  heaven  shall  be 
yours  ?  will  you  not  listen  to  his  words  of  mercy? 

"  15.  If  you  had  not  merely  seen  heaven  and  hell, 
but  had  felt  one  hour  what  the  blest  enjoy,  and 
what  the  lost  suffer,  would  you  then  think  any 
thing  too  hard  to  be  endured,  or  too  valuable  to  be 
resigned  for  Christ  ?  Would  one  hour  spent  in  hea- 
ven, or  one  hour  in  hell,  work  such  a  change  in  you, 
and  will  you  not  let  the  consideration,  that  you 
must  pass,  not  one  hour  only,  but  all  eternity 
amidst  the  raptures  of  heaven,  or  the  horrors  of 
hell,  have  any  effect  upon  your  mind  ?  Is  it  not  as 
certain  as  God's  truth  can  make  it,  that  you  must 
soon  be  in  one  or  the  other  of  those  opposite 
worlds  ?  And  shall  this  weigh  nothing  with  you  ? 
Will  you  never  so  believe  in  hcdl,  as  to  have  no 
concern  to  fiee  from  it,  till  you  are  sinking  into  it, 
or  till  you  feel  its  fires  ?  Will  you  never  so  be- 
lieve in  heaven,  as  to  seek  its  blessings  till  you  see 
those  blessings  los4  forever,  and  the  impassable  gulf 
fixed  between  you  and  happiness  ?  O,  debase  not 
thus  the  rational  powers  that  God  has  given  you ! 
nor  thus  ruin  your  own  immortal  souls ! 

"  16.  Is  the  service  of  the  devil  so  good,  and 
honorable,  and  profitable,  that  you  should  be  un- 
willing to  renounce  it .?  What  is  the  honor  ?  Per- 
haps the  applause  of  a  few  deluded  and,  in  truth, 
miserable  beings,  led  captive  bv  Satan  at  his  will. 


174  THE    FOLLY    AND 

What  is  the  gain  ?  A  few  brutish  pleasures,  suitea 
to  a  debased  and  fallen  nature,  or  a  few  years  of 
carelessness  and  trifling  gaiety.  And  is  this  ail 
that  3'ou  gain  ?  Yes,  alL  the  very  utmost.  And 
what  is  the  gain  of  Satan's  service  hereafter  ? 
Remorse  and  despair,  wailing  and  agony,  eternal 
night  m  the  depths  of  hell.  And  is  this  the  service 
you  are  so  backward  to  leave  ?  And  what  is  the 
^oss  connected  with  this  service  ?  The  favor 
of  God,  the  love  of  Christ,  the  joys  of  heaven, 
glory,  honor,  and  immortalit}",  all  that  blesses 
angels  in  light,  all  that  enriches  saints  in  glory. 
And  will  you  encounter  all  this  loss,  to  all  deniity^ 
for  the  low  reward  that  Satan's  service  can  give 
you,  through  a  moment  of  time? 

"  17.  Why  then  are  you  so  unwilling  to  yield 
yourself  to  God  ?  so  backward  to  welcome  Christ 
as  your  Lord  and  Saviour  ?  Why  should  you  be 
backward  to  be  what  all  the  inhabitants  of  heaven 
approve,  and  only  devils  condemn  ?  The  cause  is 
not  in  God,  but  in  yourself  It  lies  in  your  own 
sinful  heart.  But  what  a  horrid  unwillmgness  and 
backwardness  is  this !  How  sad  3'our  state  when 
under  its  influence !  while  you  are  backward  to 
love  and  serve  a  God  so  good  and  kind !  Back- 
ward to  follow  such  a  Saviour!  unwilling  to  leave 
the  infernal  spirit's  service  !  unwilling  to  take  the 
only  way  that  can  raise  you  to  heaven,  and  keep 
you  from  hell !  in  fine,  unwilling  to  leave  that  God 
hates,  and  the  devil  loves,  and  that  has  already 
ruined  millions  !  O,  sinner,  what  cause  you  have 
to  deplore  before  God  this  wicked  backwardness ! 
this  horrid  unwillingness  to  be  pious,  and  thus  be 
blest !  O,  what  cause  you  have  for  confessing,  that 
your  heart  is  indeed  desperately  wicked ! 

"And  now,  reader,  let  the  quest/. ^n  once  more 


INEXCUSABLENESS    OF    DELAY.  175 

De  pressed  on  your  attention,  what  are  you  ?  Are 
you  yet  undecided  ?  if  so,  what  have  you  to  object 
to  embracing  religion  ?  Would  you  lose  by  turn- 
ing to  God  ?  Would  it  render  you  unhappy  ? 
Would  you  ever  repent  of  doing  so  ?  Can  you 
find  another  Saviour  or  happiness  elsewhere  ?  If 
not,  why  continue  undecided  ?  Would  not  your 
committing  your  all  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  make  this 
the  best  and  happiest  year  of  your  life  ?  Would  it 
not  prepare  you  for  all  events,  to  live  on  earth,  or 
to  die  and  live  in  heaven  ?  Why  then  continue 
but  almost  a  Christian  ?  Why  thus  be  ruined  by 
what  ruins  multitudes  ?  Probably  few  expect  to 
perish  forever.  Some  delusion  props  up  their  hopes, 
till  death  and  eternity  sweep  all  delusive  hopes 
away. 

"Some  speak  of  minding  religion,  but  not  they 
allow  as  they  should  do.  when  the  fact  is,  they  have 
never  from  the  heart  embraced  the  Gospel.  Others 
hope  to  become  pious  hereafter.  Thus  some  are 
undone  by  one  delusion,  and  others  by  another. 
But  will  you  allow  the  deceitfulness  of  sin  thus  to 
ruin  you  ]  The  Lord  says,  '  strive  to  enter  in  at 
the  straight  gate;'  and* will  you  not  strive  when 
eternal  life  is  depending  ? 

"  Reader,  before  you  are  left  of  God  and  your 
own  conscience,  bear  with  one  more  warning 
against  trifling  with  religion,  for  trifling  would 
undo  you  eternally.  Only  make  light  of  Christ, 
and  you  will  resemble  a  criminal  whose  state  is 
hopeless  and  who  is  left  for  execution.  Only  make 
light  of  Christ,  and  your  life  will  be  sin,  your  death 
despair,  and  your  home  hell.  You  are  already  a 
condemned  sinner;  make  light  of  him  and  you  seal 
your  condemnation.  No  remedy  will  then  long  be 
presented  to  you ;  only  make  light  of  salvation,  and 


176  THE    FOLLY    AND 

all  hope  will  soon  be  over.  Nothing  wcrse  is 
needed  to  ruin  you  forever.  To  be  shut  out  of 
heaven,  only  trifle  with  the  Saviour's  claims,  and 
the  deed  is  done.  Only  stop  with  being  almost  a 
Christian,  and  you  destroy  your  soul  as  effectually 
as  you  could  do  by  infidelity  itself 

"  To  sink  to  hell,  you  need  not  be  a  drunkard, 
or  a  swearer,  or  a  liar,  or  lewd,  or  dishonest ;  only 
make  light  of  Christ,  and  this  will  sink  you  there. 
To  live  and  die  laden  with  iniquity,  to  murder 
your  own  soul  with  the  undying  death,  you  need 
not  keep  adding  sin  to  sin,  and  transgression  to 
transgression  ;  only  make  light  of  Christ,  only  neg- 
lect decided  religion,  and  the  deed  of  destruction  is 
completed  and  the  soul  is  undone. 

"  Dying  child  of  man  !  what  will  you  be  ?  whose 
will  you  be  forever  ?  The  most  important  choice 
you  can  ever  make  is  now  before  you.  It  is  not, 
who  shall  be  your  companions,  and  what  your  em 
ployment  for  a  few  short  years ;  but  who  shall  be 
your  companions,  and  what  your  employment  to 
eternity.  Will  you  have  a  part  in  the  blessings  of 
salvation  ?  or  wdl  you  have  no  part  nor  lot  in  the 
matter  ?  Will  you  have  ttys  supports  of  a  Saviour's 
love  ?  or  will  you  neglect  his  grace  and  have  them 
not  ?  Will  you  make  the  choice  which  under 
divine  grace  millions  have  made,  and  none  ever 
lamented  ?  or  will  you  not  ? 

'■  Reader,  what  will  you  be  ?  Decide  by  God's 
help  now.  Your  last  day  is  coming  ;  your  body 
will  soon  be  in  the  grave,  and  your  soul  gone  to 
meet  its  God.  If  these  events  were  never  to  come 
to  pass,  you  might  trifle  ;  but  they  will  arrive,  and 
then  you  will  see  religion  as  with  other  eyes,  and 
feel  its  importance  as  with  another  heart.  Will 
you  become  a  child  of  God  instead  of  continuing  a 


INEXCUSABLENESS    OF    DELAY.  177 

# 

guilty  prodigal  ?  and  will  you  have  an  interest  in 
his  promises  and  favor  ?  Will  you  become  a  par- 
taker of  his  grace  ?  Shall  his  everlasting  love 
bless  you  ?  O  trifle  not  longer  with  such  bless- 
ings !  Will  you  come  to  Christ  and  rejoice  forever 
in  heaven  ?  or  follow  the  world  and  wail  forever 
in  hell  ?     One  you  must  do^  which  shall  it  be  ? 

"  O  yield  yourself,  dear  immortal,  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  thus  become  as  blest  as  they  that 
have  already  reached  his  heavenly  kingdom  ;  thus 
learn  to  live  as  safely,  and  die  as  peacefully.  Thus 
follow  hirn  who  will  teach  you  to  sing  the  song  of 
victory,  and  soon  unite  you  to  their  happy  bands. 
O  come  !  O  yield  !  and  when  death  comes,  it  will 
be  gain ;  and  when  you  are  in  the  grave,  your 
spirit  will  be  with  the  Lord  ;  and  when  you  are 
forgotten  among  men,  you  will  still  be  with  him, 
and  with  him  forever. 

"  What  v/iil  you  do  ?  '  We  are  ambassadors  for 
Christ  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us ;  we 
pray  you  in  Christ's  stead  be  ye  reconciled  to 
God.' 

"  God's  message  is  delivered  to  you  ;  he  waits 
your  answer,  and  the  Saviour  waits.  The  question 
is,  will  you  be  indeed  Christ'-s  disciple  ?  What  is 
your  answer  1  the  answer  of  your  heart  ?  '  Yes, 
Lord,  I  will !'  Blessed  be  God  if  this  is  your  re- 
ply. You  will  have  to  praise  him  through  eternal 
ages  for  the  grace  that  inspires  this  answer.  '  Yes,' 
then  Satan  has  bst  his  prey,  and  hell  its  victim ! 
'  Yes,  Lord,  I  will  follow  thee  whithersoever  thou 
goest !'  Praise  to  the  Lord!  The  Saviour  is 
thine,  and  there  is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels 
of  God  over  thee,  a  repented  sinner. 

'•  Is  it  so,  reader  ?  Is  it  so  ?  Is  '  yes'  your  an- 
swer?    Perhaps  you  say, '  I  long  to  be  his,  but  I 


178       A  PRAYER  FOR  THE  READER. 

fear  he  will  not  welcome  such  a  sinner.'  Away 
with  such  unbelieving  fears  ;  if  you  are  willing,  he 
is  more  willing  ;  it  was  his  grace  that  made  you 
willing,  and  he  says,  '  come  unto  me,  all  ye  that 
labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you 
rest ;  him  that  cometh  unto  me  I  will  in  no  wise 
cast  out.' 

"  But  is, '  yes,  I  will  in  the  Lord's  strength  be 
Christ's  disciple,'  the  heartfelt  answer  of  all  the 
readers  of  this  book  ?  It  is  to  be  feared  not.  Per- 
haps it  is  not  yours.  What  then,  reader,  is  your 
answer?  There  is  no  medium  between  yes  and 
no,  between  decided  religion  and  eternal  life,  and 
irreligion  and  eternal  death.  You  are  not  willing 
to  be  quite  the  Lord's.  Then  do  not  deceive  your- 
self, but  speak  plainly  what  the  Lord  regards  as 
plainly  done.  At  once  say.  '  no,  I  will  not  be  the 
Lord's.'  Is  this  your  answer  either  by  words,  or 
by  conduct  ?  Then  for  you  the  Son  of  God  will 
have  no  blessing.  '  No !'  then  shall  you  deplore 
eternally  your  fatal  resolution.  '  No  !'  Abide  by 
this  answer  and  your  doom  is  settled,  and  your 
damnation  is  sealed. 

A  prayer  for  a  blessing  upon  the  reader. 

O  Lord,  our  God,  we  remember  it  is  written, '  If 
our  Gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost.' 
O  suffer  it  not  to  be  hid  to  any  of  the  readers  of 
this  book.  Suffer  not  all  the  serious  things  that  are 
herein  written  to  be  in  vain  ;  may  the  Holy  Spirit 
apply  the  truth  to  each  reader's  heart.  Grant  re- 
pentance unto  life.  Bow  the  stubborn  will ;  awak- 
en the  slumbering  conscience ;  lead  the  inquiring 
soul  to  Christ ;  renew  and  sanctify  the  heart.  '  Our 
»oul  waits  only  upon  thee.'    Grant,  O  Lord,  this  on« 


A  PRAYER  FOR  THE  READER.        179 

request.  Let  all  who  read  or  hear  the  truths  con- 
tained in  this  book  live  before  Thee.  May  they 
all  be  saved  through  thy  rich,  abounding,  sovereign 
grace  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  thy  name  shall  have  all 
the  glory,  world  without  end.'    Amm. 


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